The Once and Future King and Queen
by LilyannaSpiritOfTheCheetah
Summary: The ancient prophecies foretold of The Once and Future King who would unite Britain and bring forth a Golden Age of peace and prosperity. But the future is not set in stone, and the ancient prophecies did not foretell of The Queen who would stand beside him, nor of Emrys, a powerful warlock, who would help lead them both as all three attempt to fulfill their destinies.
1. The Burden of Duty

_Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin._

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 **Chapter 1 – The Burden of Duty**

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Lady Guinevere, Duchess of Lyanesse sighed as the carriage drew closer to the gates of Camelot Castle. Her nursemaid, Mable, fondly referred to as Nan, patted her young charge on the shoulder in sympathy but said nothing. Guinevere was being taken from her home and brought to Camelot as the ward of King Uther Pendragon following her father's death less than a week ago. The King had acted swiftly, too swiftly some would say, to claim Guinevere as his ward, though none could fault his reasoning. Lyanesse was the largest and most powerful of the counties within Uther's kingdom, and Thomas, Duke of Lyanesse was a rich man with a vast army. With Thomas dead, killed by a Saxon assassin in the never-ending war Britain found itself in, his daughter and only child, Guinevere, stood to inherit it all and assumed the title of Duchess, though she had not yet even reached her fifth birthday. By declaring her his ward, Uther gained stewardship of Lyanesse until such a time as Guinevere came of age, though by then it was assumed that Lyanesse would be tied to the crown more tightly then a wardship; it was no secret that Uther had petitioned Thomas to have Guinevere betrothed to his twelve year old son and heir, Prince Arthur. Nor was it a secret that Thomas had refused. By the laws of the land, a royal betrothal was almost as binding as a marriage and Guinevere would have been taken from her home and father to live at Camelot Castle until the wedding; a fact her father did not like, for he'd lost his beloved wife to childbed fever and only had his daughter left, so he did not wish to part with her so young. Not long after his refusal, Thomas had been killed, and Guinevere found herself moved to Camelot Castle anyways.

As the carriage drew under the portcullis Guinevere got her first good look at her new home, and could not deny that its grandeur awed her. She was met at the steps to the castle by Uther himself who greeted her with open arms, expressing his sympathies at her father's passing and welcoming her to Camelot.

"I hope you shall be comfortable here, Lady Guinevere." The King said as he led her up the steps by the hand.

"I'm sure I will, Your Majesty." She replied as she'd been coached to do, Nan instructing her in the proper manner to address the King, the Prince, and the court. When they reached the top of the steps Guinevere saw two others were there to greet her. One was a tall boy some years older than her with dirty blonde hair and blue eyes that gave nothing away, while the other was a girl about her age, perhaps a year or so older, with hair as black as night and a bright smile that put Guinevere at ease instantly.

"Allow me to introduce my son, Prince Arthur." Uther introduced. The boy stepped forward and took Guinevere's hand, bringing it to his lips and lightly kissing it.

"My Lady, welcome to Camelot Castle." He murmured giving her a small smile before retreating.

"And this is my ward, Lady Morgana."

"Hello Gwen!" the girl squealed as she ran forward to hug her. Guinevere was momentarily stunned but eventually got over it and hesitantly hugged the girl back. "I just know we're going to be great friends! It will be wonderful to have another girl around! Now I don't only have the pompous 'I just got my first sword' prince over there to play with." Guinevere stifled a laugh and found herself instantly liking the King's other ward and hoping what she'd said about being great friends was true.

"That's quite enough Morgana." Uther chided, though affectionately. "Lady Guinevere must be tired from her journey and will wish to rest before her welcoming feast this evening." Whether true or not it was clear that she was expected to retire to her chambers until the feast. "Arthur, escort Lady Guinevere to her chambers." A brief flash of confusion showed across The Prince's face. He'd never been asked to escort a guest to their chambers before, not even Morgana when the King's first ward had arrived just over a year ago. However, the emotion was quickly gone and Arthur acknowledged his father's command before doing as he'd been taught and offering the lady his arm to escort her properly. Guinevere sent a quick look to Nan, unsure what to do, but at her nursemaid's nod she stepped forward and placed her hand atop his.

 **oo00oo00oo**

Guinevere's first introduction to court life was the welcoming feast Uther had planned in her honour on the night of her arrival at Camelot Castle. She was introduced to the court as the King's ward and found that those two words ensured her a courteous welcome and a certain amount of respect, and even reverence, from the other courtiers. She would learn in the coming days that that largely had to do with Uther's evident fondness for Morgana, and his lack of patience for anyone who was even slightly discourteous to her; they were unsure if this ward would worm her way into Uther's heart as Morgana had and thought it best to treat her as they did Morgana in case she did. A month passed with relative ease as Guinevere became accustomed to life at court and settled into a routine. Morgana was not quite two years her senior and so Uther had them in lessons together, much to the girls' pleasure. Morgana had become Guinevere's, or Gwen's as Morgana insisted on calling her, constant companion and she found that her first assessment of the older girl was spot on, the two quickly becoming the best of friends. Gwen's interactions with The Prince of the realm were rather limited that first month, for which she was glad for she found Arthur to be a bit intimidating. He always seemed so serious and proper, though she supposed that was the way a prince, who would one day be king, was supposed to be. It wasn't until her second month at the castle that Gwen learned how wrong she was. Arthur was serious and proper when needed, and certainly was always that way around his father, which was really the only time Gwen saw him, but he was far from that way any other time. Gwen learned that the hard way when she fell victim to one of The Prince's pranks and ended up soaking wet, having had a bucket of water fall on her head.

"Arthur Pendragon!" Morgana yelled, stomping her feet before rushing to Gwen's side. "That is not funny!"

"Actually it is." He disagreed. "Though I will apologise, My Lady, the bucket was not meant to fall on you."

"And who, exactly, was it for?" She demanded, her temper flaring as it never had before.

"Merlin." The Prince answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Merlin was Arthur's manservant and best friend, though he'd never admit to having a servant for a best friend aloud. The two were of an age and had grown up alongside each other. Merlin's mother, Hunith, worked in the castle as Head Housekeeper and his great uncle Gaius, who was the only father Merlin had ever known, was the Court Physician. It was not uncommon for the children of servants to be companions to their master's children, and Merlin and Arthur's similar age, as well as the high positions of his family among the servants, made him the perfect choice. A year ago, just before Morgana arrived at court, Uther had deemed Merlin old enough to begin work at age eleven and had appointed him his son's manservant. Not much changed with this position, for Merlin had spent all his time with Arthur to begin with, save for Merlin now brought The Prince his breakfast, sent his clothes out to be laundered, and performed any other tasks Arthur required of him; mostly this was being a practice dummy as Arthur began training as a knight, and being The Prince's target for pranks such as this.

"Better luck next time." The boy in question said as he sauntered past Arthur with a smirk on his face and approached Gwen with a towel. "Here, My Lady." He wrapped the towel around her and stood back as Morgana led Gwen inside to change, glaring at Arthur as she passed.

"How did you…?" Arthur asked, pointing to the towel.

"Saw the bucket from the upstairs window and thought that since I wasn't going to fall for it someone else could use a towel." Was his simple reply.

 **oo00oo00oo**

Gwen had been at court for just shy of six months when Uther made his big announcement. During that time she'd grown to respect The King, as was his due, but was also weary of him and his cold, calculated manner; the only one he showed any outward affection for was Morgana, not even his son received any in front of others.

"My Lords and Ladies." The King called everyone's attention at the feast he'd planned for that night. Gwen found herself seated on the raised dais beside Arthur who sat at this father's right hand, Morgana sitting on The King's other side. Only the four of them occupied the high table and it was only the fourth time in six months that Gwen had been permitted to attend a feast for she was still deemed too young to attend with any frequency, though she consoled herself that Morgana was as well and so the two of them got to spend that time together. "It is with great pleasure that I announce the joining of two great houses in the form of a marriage between my son, Prince Arthur, and Lady Guinevere, Duchess of Lyanesse." The court burst into applause, none surprised by The King's announcement having expected a betrothal eventually, though the two in question had a much different reaction. Arthur's face was one of shock before it quickly fell into the mask of neutrality that he wore in the presence of his father or at court functions, though Gwen could still see the shock, and even panic, in his eyes. She herself didn't know what to feel, having a vague idea what a betrothal was for they were often talked about, though not truly understanding what it meant. Morgana, for her part, was indignant on her friend's behalf though she held it in until the three children were left alone with Uther after the feast ended.

"Betrothed?! But she's not even five years old!"

"Morgana…" The King warned and his ward backed down, though still made her displeasure known.

"You didn't think I deserved to know before announcing it to the court?" Arthur asked, a bit of both anger and hurt in his voice. While always quite proper in his father's presence, he was still Uther's son and had inherited his father's temper.

"I thought it best to wait for this exact reason." Uther replied, seeing the fire in his son's eyes that were so like his.

"And when is the happy day to be?" Arthur's sarcasm was lost on no one.

"A fortnight." Uther's blunt response had been far from what Arthur was expecting.

"W-what?" He stuttered.

"You shall be wed in a fortnight."

"But she's a child!" Came his reply when the words had sunk in, his own young age forgotten as no boy his age would admit he was not a man grown. Gwen kept her head down as he said this and as father and son fought, for she neither wanted to get in the middle of it, nor did she yet know how she felt about all this.

"Yes, and of course it shall not be a true marriage until she is grown, things will continue as they are, save that she will be a Pendragon and exchange the title of Lady for Princess." Arthur was silent, though thankful for Uther's words, as he'd heard some of the other knights speak of their wives and marriage, none of which currently sounded appealing to the twelve year old.

" _Why_ , father?" He asked finally. "Why not a betrothal until she is grown? Would that not be more proper?"

"Perhaps, but a marriage in name only between those who are too young is far from uncommon between great houses, especially during times of war." Arthur must have looked confused for Uther elaborated. "I need the army of Lyanesse at my command. Although I am her guardian and tried with managing her estates until she is of age, that does not include sending her army into battle. As your wife, even if in name only, her army becomes yours, and as you are my son and also underage what is yours is currently mine, including the army of Lyanesse. I need that strength to fight the Saxons and this is the only way to get it without waiting several years, for which there is no time. As such, you will be married in a fortnight, whether you like it or not."

The ceremony was short and simple with barely two words spoken between the bride and groom. It was also private, Uther deeming it unseemly to hold a grand royal wedding when the bride had not even reached her fifth summer. Only Uther, Morgana, Nan, William, who was Thomas, now Gwen's, steward, and Lord Agravaine, the King's brother, were in attendance as the Archbishop gave his blessing on the union. Another feast was then held where Gwen was introduced once again to the court, though this time as Princess Guinevere. Afterwards things returned to normal as Uther said they would, the only noticeable differences for Gwen being the change in address from 'My Lady' to 'Your Highness,' the higher level of reverence from the court, and the ring that hung on a long chain around her neck where it would remain until she was old enough for it to be placed on her finger.

 **oo00oo00oo**

As the years passed, tensions with the Saxons grew to new heights and full out war broke throughout all of Britain. The land was split into nine kingdoms, the Saxons occupying the northern most territory while Camelot occupied the centre with Lyanesse as its only route to the sea. The other eight kingdoms formed an alliance against the Saxons, the Alliance of Albion, named in honour of the promised land of perpetual peace of the Old Religion that seven of the eight kingdoms still followed. Camelot was the one kingdom that did not for at the centre of the Old Religion was magic. Magic was well known throughout the land though had been banned in Camelot over twenty years ago when Uther blamed magic for his wife, Ygraine's, death. Since then magic was outlawed and all those who practiced it were hunted down and persecuted by Uther until the people did not even mention the word magic for fear of being accused of witchcraft. Throughout the rest of Britain, however, magic was rampant and although he detested it, Uther was forced to concede the other kingdoms' views on magic and accept it while outside his own kingdom, though Uther still refused to allow it within Camelot's borders.

Within Camelot itself little changed saved the expected changes with the passing of time. Arthur was now eighteen and an advisor on his father's council, as well as a full-fledged Knight of the realm. He had become a master swordsman and mastered many other weapons, winning every tournament he entered both in Camelot and throughout Albion. He had grown quite tall, surpassing six feet, while his hours of training each day made him fill out his armour quite well. Morgana, now thirteen, had grown into quite the beauty, her dark hair contrasting her porcelain skin and giving her a fragile, gentle appearance, though appearance was as far as it went. Morgana had not outgrown her outspoken ways to become the proper, quiet, demure lady expected of one of her station, but had rather grown a wit that surpassed many a man. To add to it, she'd devoured every text on every subject she could get her hands on and discussed philosophy, politics, and strategy with practiced expertise, often counselling Uther, even at her still relatively young age, in matters of state, though she had to manipulate him into it for Uther would never knowingly take advice from a woman, especially one who was little more than a child, nor would he ever allow a woman to sit on his council.

Guinevere, at age eleven, was not the raving beauty Morgana was, though she was certainly had that potential when she grew, and had all the ladylike qualities Morgana lacked. Under the strict tutelage of Uther's chosen governess, though Nan still reigned in all matters of The Princess save her education, Gwen had had Uther's idea of what a princess and future queen should be drilled into her. While this made her the demure, obedient, proper lady who never spoke out of turn, knew how to run the castle as chatelaine, and never made a fuss or complaint, there was also another side to her. Gwen's wit and intelligence rivalled that of Morgana's and when in private, with those who knew her well, it came out in full force. She had learned quickly how the game was played at court and while Morgana was set on changing the rules, Gwen was content to work within them, manipulating the pieces like a master chess player until only Arthur, Morgana, Merlin and Nan could predict her moves, such was her finesse and mastery of the inner workings of court. Merlin had grown alongside Arthur and continued to serve as his manservant, though he'd also taken lessons from his Uncle Gaius in the healing arts; this proved quite handy during tournaments or when Arthur went into battle against the Saxons for he always seemed to get himself hurt and Gwen was quite glad that Merlin, who still followed The Prince everywhere, was there to patch him up.

As for The Prince and Princess, they'd grown quite close over the years, Arthur making it a point to spend as much time as possible with his young bride so that when the time came for them to truly be man and wife they would not only be comfortable and work well with each other, but contented and happy as well, for they would one day rule Camelot together; Arthur was intent that when he and Gwen were King and Queen she would not be a mere ornament on his arm, but rather a true participant in the running of their kingdom. Things between them were quite good, until one day not long before Gwen's twelfth birthday. That day, Arthur received a summons from his father, and given the council had disbanded not three hours ago, he could not for the life of him figure out why.

"Wait out here." He told his shadow, Merlin, who took The Prince's sword and shield, he'd been on the training field when the summons had arrived, and bowed before retreating against the wall.

"You wanted to see me father?" Arthur asked redundantly when the doors to Uther's presence chamber closed behind him.

"Yes." The King replied distractedly. He was looking over several documents and didn't even look up when his son entered. "I have been informed that Guinevere has bled for the first time." Whatever Arthur had imagined his father saying it was not that and had Uther looked up he would have seen shock and confusion on his face. As it was, Uther did not need to look up to know what his son was thinking for these matters were almost never talked about, and certainly never without a purpose. "By the laws of the land she is now a woman grown and fit to bear you sons and heirs." Arthur mentally smacked himself, he should have realized that's what his father was getting at for there was no other reason to bring this particular subject up. Still, although he should have realized the reason, he had trouble grasping it.

"Surely you don't mean for me to…" He cut off, unable to have this particular conversation with his father.

"I expect you to consummate your marriage." Uther finally looked up at Arthur, pinning him with a glare that at one time would have had Arthur bowing to whatever his father demanded. However, that time was over. Arthur was no longer a boy, but a man who'd been in battle, killed many men, and seen too many horrors for a mere look to cower him. "Things with the Saxons are getting more precarious every day and we cannot risk her returning to Lyanesse not attached to house Pendragon. An unconsummated marriage can be set aside quite easily and I will not have it."

"But father-"

"Tonight, Arthur." He interrupted. "I waited to inform you until her time was done as I did not want you to think on it too much, but now you must turn your thoughts to producing an heir and do your duty as Guinevere will do hers. I will send someone for the sheets in the morning as proof of the consummation." Uther turned back to his papers, clearly dismissing his son, but Arthur did not move a muscle. His thoughts were on his wife, little Gwen who barely came above his elbow, who still had much of the appearance of a child, no matter that the law said she was grown and officially of marriageable age. Little Gwen for whom his instincts screamed at him to protect at all costs, similar to Morgana though he'd forced himself not to think of her as a sister, knowing they would truly be man and wife one day. But that day was not today.

"No." He said, his voice quiet, though the hard edge to it was clearly heard.

"What did you say?" Uther asked after a moment, having looked up once more.

"I said no, father." Arthur replied, his voice louder and stronger as he assumed the persona that commanded men in battle and had their enemies running in full retreat. "I don't care what the law says, Gwen is still naught but a child and I will not touch her until she is well and truly grown."

"You defy me, your-"

"Yes, I do." It was Arthur's turn to interrupt this time. "You may be my father and king, but I will not obey you in this. Guinevere and I will consummate our marriage when it is right for us to do so, not simply because you declare it time."

"You-"

"Go ahead, throw me in the stocks, or the dungeon, it won't change my mind. This is one battle you will not win, father, so I suggest you surrender gracefully before it turns into a full out war." Arthur gave his father a mocking bow, staring him down the entire time, before turning his back on The King and walking away. Merlin hurried to catch up as Arthur stormed down the corridor back to the training field, calling for his friend and Prince to slow down and explain what had him so upset; however, Arthur did not stop until he had bypassed the knights training away and approached one of the straw dummies used to practice sword techniques. Grabbing his own sword from Merlin, he proceeded to hack the dummy to pieces.

"Care to explain what's wrong now?" Merlin asked once the dummy was nothing more than pieces of straw scattered on the ground.

"Apparently Gwen is a woman grown now, according to the law." He paused for a moment to allow what that meant to sink in. "My father has ordered me to consummate our marriage." Merlin was silent for a moment but eventually found his voice again.

"But you're not going to do it, right?"

"Of course I'm not going to do it!" Arthur snapped back as if it was the most obvious thing in the world and he took Merlin questioning him on this as a personal insult. "Not for awhile yet at any rate." He amended in a calmer tone, and Merlin absentmindedly nodded.

"So you're openly defying your father?" This question Arthur didn't take offense to for it was the first time he was openly defying Uther; he'd gone against his father before, but never so openly, and not in public as it would be this time.

"What else am I supposed to do?" He asked in return. "By now Gwen's…predicament…will have made the gossip rounds and the kingdom will be wondering about an heir. When the maids find no proof of consummation on the sheets, not to mention as we continue to sleep apart, the entire kingdom will know I refuse to consummate."

"Well, you could always fake it." Merlin suggested, going off on one of his tangents as he worked through the idea aloud. "Of course you'd have to get Gwen on board with it, sleep in the same room sometimes, or be seen leaving her chambers in the morning. Oh, you'd have to cut your hand too so the bloody sheets would be found, just a small cut mind, and maybe not your hand as that would be easily seen, though granted you're always so banged up from training and battle that everyone would probably just assume it was from that. Morgana would have to get on board as well, you know she and Gwen talk about everything, and probably Nan too as not much happens concerning Gwen that she doesn't know about. And you'd have to have excuses ready when the proof that she's not with child arrives, though depending how long you wait to actually consummate the marriage Uther may send Gaius and midwives to intervene thinking there's something wrong with Gwen for having not conceived in such a long time. And she'd have to steel herself against that for people always jump to the conclusion that it's the woman's fault for not conceiving, or producing a son, especially with royalty and the succession, but Gwen's strong she'll-"

"Merlin!"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up!"

 **oo00oo00oo**

Arthur stayed out late that evening not wanting to run into either his father or Gwen, at least not yet, he wasn't sure how to face her right now. When he finally returned to his chambers the torches were burning low and many had already gone out, the servants allowing them to do so for their masters and mistresses were abed. Arthur let himself into his chambers wanting nothing more than to collapse into bed with the hope of waking up and discovering today had never happened, but it seemed like the world conspired to ensure that didn't happen, for there was his wife pacing in front of the window in nothing but her shift.

"Gwen…" Arthur said when he found his voice. Gwen spun around to face him and he could see the nervousness in her eyes.

"Arthur." She breathed.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, closing the door lest he have to kill someone for seeing her in her state of undress.

"The King," She began and Arthur knew instantly that he wasn't going to like what she had to say. "He's commanded our marriage be consummated." Her voice was small and she would not meet his eyes. It wasn't often Gwen could hide things from him, but just now he wasn't sure if she was purposefully hiding behind the mask of the dutiful wife and Princess she was to The King and court, or if her governess' teachings had finally surfaced for real.

"If The King has ordered you here, then I am sure you know I refused to consummate our marriage until you are no longer a child."

"I'm not a child anymore, My Lord."

"I care not what the law says, _My Lady,_ " He stressed the formal address, telling her plainly he did not care for it. "You are a child of eleven and I will not touch you until you are a woman grown in both body and spirit, not merely by law."

"Please don't make this harder than it has to be." She practically begged and Arthur wondered exactly what his father had said to her. "I am ready and willing to be a proper wife to you." She moved closer to the bed and he could see her steeling herself before she began to remove her shift.

"Guinevere stop!" He commanded hurriedly and was thankful to see that she obeyed him in this. He took a deep breath himself before moving to sit on the bed before her, levelling their height difference so neither was forced to crane their neck to look at the other. "It will not happen this way." He told her. "It will not happen now, nor for some time. What has my father said to you?" He asked as he took her hands in his and looked at her imploringly when she hesitated. "Gwen it's just us here, just Arthur and Gwen. Please speak true and plainly as you always have." Gwen looked at him for a moment before conceding to his wishes.

"He has said he expects to hear I am with child within the month or there will be consequences. And with The King's unpredictability I shudder to think what those consequences are." Arthur swore loudly and jumped up, moving to the door to search out his father, intent on having vengeance tonight, only to find the door locked. Arthur tried several times to open the door before he pounded on it, demanding to be let out and promising a week in the stocks for whoever had locked it.

"They won't open it." He heard from behind him and he turned from his threats to look at Gwen. "The King has had me moved to your chambers and the servants have been instructed to not allow either of us to sleep elsewhere. He said we would be locked in each night until I conceived. I've no doubt that if there wasn't a war going on and he didn't need you to fight it for him that we'd be locked in here night and day until I conceived." Arthur growled but otherwise kept himself in check, though it was several moments before he felt assured of his control.

"Well, if The King wishes for us to sleep in the same chamber, then sleep we shall." He said giving Gwen a smirk she knew to mean he'd found a way to obey his father without actually complying; it was a smirk she'd seen many times before when Arthur grew to disagree with his father's dictates and methods more and more. Bending down Arthur scooped Gwen into his arms and carried her to the bed, pulling the covers back and placing her down before pulling them back up again to tuck her in. "But only sleep, and although his intent may be clear, he said nothing about the servants having to ensure we slept in the same bed, merely the same chamber." Ensuring she was comfortable, Arthur kissed Gwen on the forehead before retreating to the padded chair by the fire, removing his outer tunic and making himself as comfortable as possible.

"Arthur what are you doing?" Came Gwen's voice and although he'd like nothing more then to be left alone with his thoughts he was glad to hear the meekness had retreated, and her demanding tone had returned.

"I swore I would not touch you, Gwen. That includes by accident in my sleep."

"You think you'd consummate our marriage in your sleep?" Her voice was both sarcastic and sceptical, as if a part of her truly wondered if he thought that was possible.

"Of course not." Came his snapped reply. "But I will not force my presence on you more than absolutely necessary." There was silence for a moment and Arthur wondered what her response would be.

"Arthur Pendragon you are being ridiculous. Now get yourself over here and come to bed with me." Whatever he had expected it was not that and he found himself looking at her with two raised eyebrows. "The bed is large Arthur, it is more than big enough for the two of us." She explained further. "You need not sleep uncomfortably for my sake. Now get over here." Arthur contemplated his options for a moment before acquiescing to her request and joining her on the bed, though still fully clothed save for his boots and outer tunic. The two lay there in silence for awhile, a silence that was both peaceful and awkward at the same time. "Thank you, Arthur." Gwen finally broke the silence.

"For what?"

"For going against your father. For giving me more time." Gwen rolled over, curling into his side, and Arthur wrapped his arm around her, their position reminiscent of when she was younger and would seek him out for comfort when awoken by a nightmare or the crash of thunder. "I truly do appreciate it."

"It is not just for your sake that I do it," He confessed. "But you're welcome." The two relaxed then, content in the result of this evening even if it was far from what they had expected when they woke this morning, and fell into a peaceful sleep.

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 **A/N - A new story, a new fandom. Had this stuck in my head for forever but only just got it written far enough ahead to start posting. My default rating is M cause there's usually violence, coarse language and sex/sexual references in my stories, though there's nothing really graphic. I could probably get away with T, but rather be safe.  
**

 **Mostly this is taken from BBC's _Merlin_ , but you'll notice some things from movies like _First Knight_ and _King Arthur_ , as well as other bits just from Arthurian legend.**

 **Story will focus primarily on Gwen and Arthur, though with lots of Merlin in there too. I tried to do the Merlin/Arthur bromance justice.**


	2. The King is Dead

_Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin  
_

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 **Chapter 2 – The King is Dead**

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The following morning Arthur was awoken in his customary fashion of Merlin barging into his chambers and flinging the drapes open, calling for his prince to get out of bed. Only for the first time he wasn't alone.

"Merlin!" Arthur cried, brought fully awake when Gwen gasped and pulled the covers up to her chin. "Get out!"

"Right." Merlin mumbled and retreated without another word. Once he was gone Gwen quickly scrambled out of bed and behind the changing screen where she put on a robe, wanting to be properly covered if not properly dressed when Merlin returned.

"I do apologize." Arthur said when Gwen came back out from behind the screen.

"It's quite alright. There wasn't exactly any time to inform him of our new arrangement." Arthur was once again glad for Gwen's maturity and acceptance of this matter and decided to drop it for now. When Merlin returned he hesitantly knocked on the door and, for the first time in Arthur's memory, actually waited to be granted entrance.

"Is it safe to come in?" He asked even though he'd clearly heard Arthur's summons.

"Yes, yes, Merlin, it is." Arthur said impatiently and the servant fully came into the room.

"I summoned Nan, Your Highness." He informed Gwen though he kept his eyes averted still. "She and your maid will be along presently to help you dress."

"Thank you Merlin."

"I suppose this is as good a time as any then to go speak with my father." Arthur said, pulling on his boots and tunic from last night. "Why wait for the summons when I can head him off?" Gwen offered him a small smile but neither she nor Merlin answered his rhetorical question. Both men then made their exit leaving Gwen to await Nan and her maid. Arthur's discussion with his father went no better then it had the other day and both men left the other's presence frustrated, though Arthur more content than Uther. He'd discovered that no matter how much his father demanded and postured, no matter how cruel and tyrannical he could be, he could never actually bring himself to force this particular issue; he would never force Arthur to take his wife against both their wills. However, although Arthur no longer feared the 'consequences' Gwen spoke of being an attempt to physically force either of them to comply, the King was most certainly not giving up and told Arthur that unless on an assignment he was under curfew each night and the two would continue to share quarters until not only had their marriage been consummated, but an heir had been conceived. If that was as far as Uther would take it, Arthur was sure he and Gwen would adapt quickly and left his father's presence not terribly upset. He returned to his chambers to find that Gwen had left for the day, though Merlin was there straightening up.

"I'd like a bath, Merlin." The Prince commanded.

"What, now?" Merlin asked, turning to look at his master.

"Yes. Now." Arthur said as if it was obvious.

"You couldn't have told me this earlier could you?" He grumbled. "Now I've got to go all the way to the kitchen and get them to heat the water, have the tub hauled upstairs and carry bucket after bucket of water while hoping the bath hasn't cooled too much by the time its full."

"Then I guess you had better get to it, hadn't you?" The banter between the two was common place and those who knew them well found it entirely hilarious, though given Uther's feelings towards the classes, they'd never show this aspect of their relationship outside of closed doors and their close circle of friends. "Wait." Arthur called when Merlin stomped towards the door. "I don't have time to wait as you dawdle in your task to annoy me. Just…go ahead." He waved his hand in a nonchalant manner, refusing to say the word as he always did so long as the secret must be kept. Merlin smiled and turned to face the centre of the room. He raised his hand and muttered some intelligible words under his breath. His eyes glowed gold for a moment, a wooden tub popped out of nowhere and a bucket hovered above it as it began to pour an unending supply of water into the tub, steam rising as it was heated instantly. A cry of shock alerted the men to the fact that they were not alone, and both whirled around to face the intruder, discovering the culprit to be Gwen.

"I forgot my book…" She muttered, her eyes wide as her eyes darted from Merlin to the tub then to Arthur and back again. "You…you have…you're…"

"Gwen." Arthur said, standing slowly with his arms outstretched in what he hoped was a non-threatening manner, afraid that she would bolt.

"You knew?" She said, turning her full attention to her husband. "You knew he has…has _magic_." She said the word as if it was a great offense.

"Gwen, listen to me-"

"No! This is a crime! You cannot expect me to…" She did not finish her sentence but had turned to go, racing from the room.  
"Guinevere!" Arthur yelled, hurrying after her. With his long legs it did not take long before he overtook her and blocked her path. "Guinevere, listen to me."

"Let me pass."

"No. Come back inside and we will discuss this rationally."

"Rationally? There is nothing to discuss, let alone rationally!"

"Guinevere, come back inside now." He commanded, giving her a hard look.

"No!" She said after a moment and made to move passed him but he would not let her. Instead he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, ignoring her cries of indignation and the pounding of her fists against his back, he walked back inside his chamber and put her down in the chair before the fire, nodding to Merlin who waved his hand, his eyes glowing once more, as he sealed the room from both intrusion and eavesdroppers.

"How long have you known?" She asked finally when she'd calmed down somewhat, knowing that she'd never be allowed to leave before Arthur was ready for her too. Arthur did not answer her, but his silence was all the answer she needed. "All this time? You knew he was a sorcerer all this time and you haven't said anything?!"

"He's my friend, Gwen."

"But he has _magic_! It's forbidden, outlawed…"

"What would you have me do?" He snapped. "Send my friend to the gallows for something he cannot help?"

"That is for The King to decide."

"If it was up to my father magic would be exterminated from all of Britain and half the people in all the nine kingdoms would be put to death because of it." Gwen did not have an answer for that and Arthur took the opportunity to press onwards. "Look, Gwen, I know you've been raised to believe all magic is bad and all those who have magic are evil. I was raised the same way, but there came a time when I had to start thinking for myself."

"Was that when you discovered Merlin had magic?"

"Yes." He admitted. "Merlin has always been my friend and he has always served me well. I know him, I know what kind of man he is, and when I discovered he had magic I knew it couldn't be all bad for there was still no doubt in my mind as to Merlin's goodness."

"Gwen," Merlin spoke up using her nickname as he only did when they, and Morgana, were alone, the four friends dropping much of the formality at those times. "I swear to you that magic in of itself is not bad, it is how magic is used that determines whether it is good or bad. Uther had a bad experience with magic once, a very bad experience I will admit, and since then he has outlawed it in Camelot and even campaigned to have it outlawed throughout Britain. It is his fear and ignorance of magic that caused the ban, not magic on its own."

"So what you're saying is that magic is a tool, possibly even a weapon, and it can be used either to build and protect, or destroy and kill. It all depends on the person using it."

"Yes…" Merlin said hesitantly, surprised she'd grasped the concept so quickly, especially after her initial reaction. Gwen then proved it was not only Arthur that knew Merlin, though none could claim a closer companionship with him.

"The concept is not hard to grasp. And I am sorry I reacted the way I did. I was just shocked. It was my first encounter with magic, or rather I suppose the first encounter that I'm aware of, and I never expected it to come from you, or anyone I know."

"I can understand that." Merlin said, giving her a small smile.

"You won't say anything to father, will you?" Arthur had to ask.

"Of course not!" Gwen said vehemently, turning to look at him in a manner that said he caused her great insult by even saying something like that to her.

"It's a fair question after you reacted the way you did." He defended.

"I was in shock, and I already apologized to Merlin for it and he's accepted my apology, so you have no reason not to as well." Arthur opened his mouth to retort but Merlin cut him off, seeing that the two were about to start one of their arguments, which while didn't happen often, tended to last for a long while when they did.

"Children, children, please, no fighting so early in the morning."

"Too right you are, Merlin." Gwen said, turning her back on Arthur and ending the argument before it truly began. "Once again I apologize for my reaction, and I promise you I will say nothing. Like Arthur said, there is no doubt to your goodness, Merlin, so magic cannot be all bad as Uther claims."

 **oo00oo00oo**

The days following Gwen discovering Merlin's magic were some of the most interesting the young princess could ever remember. With magic having been banned long before she was born, Gwen found every bit of magic Merlin performed very exciting. For his part the warlock took great delight in having another person who knew about his magic and also in being able to show someone, who had been raised believing that all magic was evil, that it could in fact be good. Merlin explained that magic itself was neither evil nor good and that it was the person using magic and their intent with it that determined whether it was good or bad. Gwen took the lessons to heart and swore that she would see that lesson taught to all once Arthur was king and magic could return to Camelot. Arthur himself had never said that he would lift the ban on magic but Gwen knew he would never force Merlin to live in the shadows a moment longer than he had to. When Gwen brought the subject up one night, intent on teasing Arthur over his affection for his manservant as both she and Morgana had done many a time before, Arthur loudly proclaimed that he would be lifting the ban on magic once he was king, but it would not be for Merlin but for the betterment of all his subjects. Gwen rolled her eyes at his proclamation but said no more; she knew the truth. Although Gwen's knowledge of Merlin's magic appeared to be a blessing, there was one troublesome fact: Morgana. Uther's ward was Gwen's best friend, the two shared everything with each other, but she had been asked by Merlin, and practically ordered by Arthur, not to tell the anyone, even Morgana, about Merlin's magic. Gwen was quite put out and although she understood the need for secrecy, for Merlin's head would be on the chopping block should Uther ever find out, she insisted Morgana could be trusted. Even so, it was Merlin's secret to tell and so she said not a word to her friend.

 **oo00oo00oo**

Four years passed and the war with the Saxons grew worse. The Saxon leader remained unknown to all, a tactic which helped instil fear, but his goal was clear: conquer Britain at all costs. Those costs were the lives of many Britons, both Saxons and those of Albion, though he seemed not to care how many lives were lost so long as he reached his ultimate goal. Within Camelot itself life changed little save for the growing fear of attack and the dwindling number of men as Uther drafted them for his army. Tragedy struck that year with the death of Uther. The King lost his life in battle against the Saxons and while Arthur certainly mourned his father, and ensured that the kingdom properly mourned their king, he could not help but think it a fitting punishment for Uther arrogantly engaging such a large army against the advice of his council. With the death of one king came the succession of another and Arthur received the news of his succession as King of Camelot in the early hours of the morning, before either he or Guinevere had awoken. A persistent banging sounded at the Prince and Princess' chambers and woke both from their sleep. When the banging did not immediately stop Arthur jumped out of bed and angrily stalked towards the door, waiting only long enough to ensure Gwen had donned her dressing gown before yanking the door open.

"What?" He growled at Merlin whose hand was raised to knock again.

"Two of the privy councillors are here to see you, Your Highness." He said, stepping aside to reveal the men in question.

"At this hour?" He demanded.

"They insist it is urgent." Seeing the sombre looks on both his manservant and the councillors' faces Arthur refrained from saying more and stepped aside to allow them entry. Gwen was standing by the fire when they entered, though she moved to stand beside her husband when their visitors entered.

"What is this about?" Arthur asked once Merlin had closed the door.

"We have received word from King Cenred, Sire." One spoke, further gaining Arthur's attention as he heard the name of the king who had joined his father in battle for it was Cenred's kingdom, Essetir, that was the current site of the battle against the Saxons.

"And?" The two councillors hesitated and looked between the two, trying to decide who was going to speak. Finally one gave in in their silent battle of wills and both sank to their knees.

"The King is dead." The other said. At his words Arthur felt his knees go weak and was suddenly glad that Gwen had grabbed hold of him, the two holding each other up. "Long live The King." A few seconds later, once the shock had worn off, Merlin too sank to his knees before his new king, as did Gwen and it was the latter of the two that gained his attention.

"Long live The King." She murmured. Arthur did nothing but stare for a while but eventually he regained his voice.

"Uh…we are grieved to hear of our father's death." He said formally, surprised by how easy it was to fall into the use of the royal 'we'. "Even so, we swear to do right by our people and our kingdom." It wasn't a long speech by any means but it was enough. When he was finished, Arthur took Gwen's hand and raised her up to stand next to him. It was only then that it hit Gwen that with Uther dead and Arthur now King, she in turn was now Queen of Camelot. It was a role she had been raised to fill, but a fact she could scarcely wrap her head around. As if reading her thoughts, Arthur reiterated her new station. "Now if you will excuse us gentlemen, The Queen and I will rest a bit more before meeting the day." Merlin was quick to usher the others out at The King's dismissal, the warlock and manservant sparing his new king a small smile and meaningful look before exiting as well. When they were alone, Gwen turned to her husband and lay a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Are you alright?" She asked hesitantly, unsure of Arthur's reaction to his father's death. Like all of Uther's relationships the one with his son was complicated and although there were times she could swear Arthur hated the man, Uther was still his father.

"Yes, I believe I am." He responded. The two walked to their bed and sat together, Gwen taking Arthur's hand in hers. "I was unsure how I would feel at my father's death, but I feel barely anything. He was my father, and I will miss him, but he was not a good man, nor a very good king. He protected Camelot well enough, and he wasn't entirely a tyrant, but his crusade against magic saw to the loss of many innocent lives, as did his swiftness to jump into battle. I shall miss him, but I find my grief overshadowed by the needs of my people. People I must now rule somehow."

"You are not your father, Arthur. You have learned from his mistakes."

"Have I? We are at war, Gwen. The one thing my father excelled at was war; he was my teacher for all I must now do. How can you say I learned from his mistakes when I am being thrust into a position to make them myself?"

"Because I know you, Arthur Pendragon. You are a far better man than Uther could have ever hoped to be. Even if, as you say, you are being thrust into position to make his mistakes all over again, I know you won't. I have faith in you." She smiled softly and leaned up to kiss his cheek. "Besides, Merlin, Morgana and I will be there to see to it."

"Well, I can surely count on my queen to set me straight should the need arise. And you shall, Gwen. You have never been, nor will you ever be, a mere ornament to me, as so many queens are to their kings. You are Queen of Camelot now and you will rule by my side, not merely appearing pretty on my arm at state functions."

"Do you really mean that?" She all but breathed after a moment of silence; the idea of them ruling together was a foreign concept, but one she found very appealing. Arthur merely nodded his answer and no more was said as the two returned to bed to get a little more sleep, for tomorrow would surely be a very tiring day.

 **oo00oo00oo**

The following day both Merlin and Sefa, Gwen's lady's maid, spent extra time getting their master and mistress ready for their first appearance before the kingdom as King and Queen. Heralds had been sent into the city early in the morning informing the people that Arthur would be making an announcement and all who could were expected to attend. News of Uther's death was not received as it should be for the loss of a beloved king, though no one could claim that Uther had been beloved. Arthur's ascension to the throne, however, was met with cheers and cries of joy for the prince was known to be fair and honourable and with him as their king, the people of Camelot saw hope for an end to the war for the first time in years. Morgana's reception of Arthur and Gwen as King and Queen of Camelot was met as they expected, with both joy and teasing. Morgana had been quite vocal in recent years of her opinions about Uther so finally having Arthur on the throne was a godsend as far as she was concerned, while her best friend as Queen meant that the long talks the two women had had about the changes they would bring to Camelot when Gwen was Queen could now come to fruition. Before all that, however, Arthur had one very important thing to take care of: to lift the ban on magic. It would have to wait until after the coronation, until after Arthur had officially been crowned King, but Gwen knew it would be his first act the day after the coronation; he would finally be able to liberate his friend from secrecy. Plans for the coronation took a few weeks, the entire kingdom deciding as one to make it a lavish affair befitting their beloved King Arthur and Queen Guinevere. The day was planned for a week after Uther's funeral, the late King's body having been returned to Camelot for burial. As expected the funeral was a sombre affair, but eventually the melancholy faded and finally the day of the coronation arrived and both monarchs were decked out in their best, Arthur in the colours of Camelot, a crimson doublet with underlying gold fabric and jewels, and Gwen in a deep purple gown, a sign of her royalty, with delicate lace sleeves and a flowing train. As was tradition the Archbishop, the highest-ranking church official in Camelot, crowned Arthur King. It then befell to The King to crown his Queen. Gwen had stood at the back of the congregation in the throne room while Arthur was crowned and once the cries of 'God save The King!' died down she stepped forward and slowly made her way down the aisle towards her husband. Kneeling on the pillow that had been placed on the steps of the dais, Gwen held her breath as the Archbishop came forward with the crown belonging to the Queen of Camelot, which had stood unused for many years. Arthur took the crown in both hands and spared his wife a glance before turning to the congregation.

"By the sacred laws vested in me, I crown you Guinevere, Queen of Camelot." He spoke clearly and loudly as he gently brought the crown to rest on Gwen's head. His task complete, Arthur offered her his hands and helped her to rise. The two shared a look of fondness and trust, knowing they could rely on each other in their new roles, and on impulse Arthur leaned down and gently kissed Gwen. If she was at all surprised by his actions she did not show it, offering him a shy smile when he pulled away. Arthur then released one of her hands and stepped forward, raising her arm high and presenting her to the crowd.

"God save The Queen!" He shouted, his words being instantly repeated by the congregation as a whole. Immediately following the coronation each of Uther's bannermen came forward and pledged their allegiance to Arthur as their new King, as did the Knights of Camelot. After the formal ceremony was over a banquet was held where there was much revelry and merry making; Camelot rejoiced at having Arthur as their king. Finally the time came when Arthur deemed it appropriate to retire. He stood and led Gwen from the hall as their people sent them off with a great cheer. Both Merlin and Nan were on hand to help them undress in their new chambers, the two having moved into the King and Queen's chambers a few days before, and it wasn't long until the two were alone. Gwen sat in front of a mirror brushing out her hair while Arthur stood by the window looking out on the city that still celebrated. Arthur was quite tense and kept shifting his feet, and when he let out one sigh too many Gwen put her brush down and turned to her husband.

"Alright, Arthur. What troubles you?" She asked.

"Whatever do you mean?" He returned, not turning to look at her.

"Oh please. Something is bothering you, something you clearly wish to unburden yourself of." Gwen rose and went to join Arthur at the window. "Tell me." She spoke softly. Arthur was silent for many moments and Gwen thought he would ignore her, though finally he did speak.

"I fear that the time has come for us to consummate our marriage." He said slowly, sneaking a glance down at Gwen to see her reaction. While she had, in truth, not been expecting that at this moment Gwen could not say she was surprised. It had been four years since she'd bled for the first time and the laws of the land declared her of marriageable age. By all rights they should have consummated their marriage long ago, but Arthur had firmly refused, Gwen's young age putting him off as he wanted to give her time to truly grow and mature, no matter what the law said.

"I can't say I expected it this night." She finally replied. "But it is not a shock, I'm surprised you waited this long."

"I would wait longer." He said, turning to face her fully. "Although it has been four years, you are still young, Guinevere."

"I am not a child, Arthur." She said with narrowed eyes. There was a seven year age difference between the two of them, and although she could not deny he was much more experienced and worldly in all things, she was no longer a child and hated it when he thought of her as a such.

"I know you're not. Believe me, I know." Gwen could swear she saw him blush as he quickly looked away. It was the first time he had let on, even the tiniest bit, that he truly may look on her as a man does his wife, instead of them playing at being married as had been the case for many years.

"Do…do you find me attractive, Arthur?" She asked hesitantly. Arthur's eyes widened for a moment but ultimately he decided on complete honesty.

"Yes." He admitted. "You are very beautiful, Guinevere. I will not deny that for a time now sleeping next to you and not touching you has been…difficult." Both turned their heads to hide their blush, the subject not being something they had ever discussed.

"Well…" Gwen started when she could bear the silence no longer. "It need no longer be difficult. I am your wife, Arthur. It is my duty to-"

"And that there is why I would wait longer!" He snapped. "You're clearly not ready if the only reason you would come to my bed is out of duty. I would give you more time, except now I'm King. It was different when my father was alive, when the kingdom had the security of an heir. Should anything happen to my father, which it eventually did, there was someone to take the throne. Now there is no heir, if something happens to me the succession isn't secure. On top of that not only is there not even the possibility of an heir, for lord knows the entire kingdom is aware we haven't consummated yet, but even the prospect of it can be taken from me easily as our marriage is not entirely valid until consummated. It was alright when we were so young, even when my father was alive, but to have a king who's wife can be legally taken from him so easily…"

"Are you finished?" Gwen cut in in a moment of quiet before he could start up again. Arthur sighed but nodded and sat on the bench under the window. Gwen sat beside him and took his hand in hers, squeezing comfortingly. "Arthur you need not worry so about me." He opened his mouth to interrupt her but she put her finger to his lips and shot him a glare. "Had you let me finish…yes, it is my duty as your wife, and as Queen, to provide the kingdom with an heir, but had you let me finish you would have heard that it need no longer be difficult because I am ready." Arthur's head snapped up hearing the sincerity in her voice. "Really I am." She assured him. "I have been for awhile now, I just didn't know how to tell you." Arthur looked her in the eyes for a minute and couldn't believe what he saw.

"You're serious." He breathed unbelievingly. Gwen merely nodded and when he didn't make any move to initiate anything Gwen decided to take the first step and brought her lips up to his. After a moment Arthur began to return the kiss and it wasn't long before he had pulled her into his lap. When the need for air became too much the two pulled apart. Arthur stood and let her down on her feet as he brought his hand up to run through her hair. Gwen leaned into his touch and closed her eyes contentedly. They opened when she felt him reach for the laces of her shift and begin to undo them. She looked up at him as the shift fell from her shoulders, taking in his reacting to seeing her naked for the first time.

"You're beautiful." He repeated his earlier sentiment and she smiled softly. Hers was far from the first female body he'd seen and she knew it. Given their age difference and him becoming a man while she was still a young girl, he'd been with other women, knowing he could not be with his wife for some time. He'd done so quietly, not wanting to dishonour his wife even if she couldn't yet be a real wife to him, and though she had heard of his exploits she'd never begrudged him his dalliances. She wondered if that would change if he strayed from her now that she could be his wife in every way; she only hoped she wouldn't have to find out. Unbeknownst to her Arthur was thinking similar thoughts, knowing that he could never be unfaithful to his wife now that she was truly his. Once he'd drunk his fill of her Arthur reached up and removed his shirt. He then bent and swept Gwen up into his arms, carrying her over to the bed and depositing her gently on top. He climbed over her and brought his lips down on hers once more as he allowed his hands to travel lower. It wasn't long before she was panting beneath him, arching her back into his touch. Arthur was determined to make this as pleasurable as possible for her and so was determined to bring her to release before he took her. While Gwen tried to catch her breath, she watched as Arthur pulled away from her and removed his breeches. She blushed prettily at seeing Arthur in all his glory, but he was pleased to note that she didn't look away. While she was still feeling the aftereffects of his attentions, Arthur moved over her once again and took but a moment to see the acceptance in her eyes before he entered her in one quick thrust. Her gasp this time was one of pain as her maidenhead was broken, but Arthur did not let it last for long before he had her panting under him once more. He came with a cry as he released inside of her Knowing that a woman's first time was usually painful and unpleasant Arthur took a moment to assess his wife and took her laboured breathing and low moans to mean he had not hurt her unduly. Still, he could not help but ask, needing her to say it.

"Are you alright?" He asked as he hovered over her.

"Uhuh." Came her articulate reply and Arthur sighed in relief, rolling to the side and pulling her against him, giving her one last kiss to her forehead before the two fell into a sated sleep.

* * *

 **A/N - That'll be the end of time jumps for awhile, there will be a heavy focus on Arthur and Gwen's time a the new King and Queen of Camelot as well as the war. I know Uther didn't play nearly as big a role as he did in the series, but he's not nearly as important in this story and I needed Arthur to be King.  
**


	3. The Coming of Arthur

_Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.  
_

* * *

 **Chapter 3 – The Coming of Arthur**

* * *

The following morning Arthur awoke to his wife snuggled up against him, her head on his chest. Arthur smiled softly as he remembered last night and how responsive and eager she had been; his fears about consummating their marriage were evidently unfounded. Gwen stirred beside him and Arthur pulled her closer, kissing the top of her head.

"Good morning." He said as she tilted her head to look at him through sleepy eyes.

"Good morning." She returned and smiling softly she leaned up to kiss him. As last night proved, the two fit well together and it wasn't long before the kiss turned heated.

"Guinevere we can't." Arthur was the one to pull away while his young wife pouted.

"Why not? Camelot needs an heir do they not? We would be remiss in our duty if we did not do all we could to see to an heir's conception." Arthur had to laugh at her excuse.

"While I am pleased to see you are keen on our duty to produce an heir, it is too soon for me to take you again, you need time to recover. Besides, no doubt Merlin, Nan and Sefa will all be along shortly to see us ready for the day ahead. Remember how important today is." He murmured the last bit and Gwen knew that naught would happen between them this morn. In truth though, she had forgotten in a moment of passion exactly what today had in store. It was the first council meeting after they officially became King and Queen of Camelot and Arthur had planned some major changes, some of which he knew the majority of the current council would not like. Even so, they were changes he was going to make. Arthur's prediction about their attendants' arrival came true not long after. Nan and Merlin were the first two in and both immediately went to their master and mistress' side and helped them on with their dressing gowns. After four years of the two sharing chambers both servants were used to sharing the space and had developed a routine with their charges. Gwen was led behind a privacy screen by Nan and it wasn't long before Sefa arrived with a bowl of hot water for both the King and Queen. Nan supervised while Sefa helped her Queen dress, the old nurse allowing the younger maids to do the physical work, though she still insisted on caring for Gwen, who had long ago asked if Nan wished to retire. The answer had been a resounding no and for some time Nan had carried on as usual, though recently she had agreed to lighten her workload. Even so, she would not leave Gwen and The Queen was quite thankful for it, not wanting to lose the only mother she'd ever known. Sefa was the first to spot the blood smeared on Gwen's thighs. The Lady's Maid gasped, knowing what it must mean after all this time, and drawing Nan's attention.

"Gwen, honey…" She murmured, Nan and Merlin being the only two to call the monarchs by their names, though only in private and when they deemed it appropriate.

"Please don't make a big deal out of it." Gwen asked.

"Shut up Merlin!"

"Like that." She added when Arthur's raised voice was heard. Like Gwen's attendants, Merlin had discovered last night's activities as well, though his discovery was made by the blood on the sheets when he went to make the bed, Arthur being relatively capable of dressing himself for his clothes were much simpler than Gwen's.

"But this…I mean…you two…" He stuttered, pointing from the sheets, to Arthur, to the screen blocking Gwen from view and back again.

"Yes you are right." The King hissed furiously not wanting for Gwen to hear. "It was bound to happen eventually, she is my wife after all."

"Yeah but with the way you'd been carrying on, refusing to see she was growing up and all, I never thought it would actually happen."

"Well it did. So can we move on please?"

"Right, right." Merlin muttered and spent a moment trying to do just that before he turned back to Arthur, it being clear that he couldn't move on quite yet. "So how was it?"

"Shut up Merlin!"

 **oo00oo00oo**

Arthur and Gwen arrived at the throne room already knowing it to be full of Councillors. Morgana awaited them outside the chamber looking quite confused at having been summoned to a council meeting, knowing as she did that women were not even permitted to observe the council, let alone be on it.

"Your Majesties." She smiled broadly and gave a curtsey that was over the top. Arthur and Gwen laughed at the teasing manner, knowing Morgana would never stop with it even given their new stations, something they were entirely thankful for. "Why have you summoned me to a council meeting Arthur?" She then asked.

"You'll see." Was his only reply as he nodded to the pages to open the door and led his Queen inside, Morgana following closely behind them. The councillors bowed as they passed, most looking quite confused at Gwen and Morgana's presence, and only raised up when Arthur reached the head of the table. Gwen and Morgana turned to head to the dais where Arthur and Gwen's thrones, as well as another ornate chair that had long belonged to Morgana, awaited them but were stopped by Arthur.

"I do believe I told you that you would rule by my side, Guinevere." He told his wife and Gwen tried to hide her surprise. While it is true that Arthur had said such a thing she had thought he meant that he would not completely disregard her opinion, not that he would have her sit on the council as no woman had before. Gwen merely nodded and joined Arthur, taking the chair directly to his right which had remained empty. Morgana did not immediately move, her eyes going to the chair on the King's left, which was also conspicuously empty. "Morgana, although he would never allow it in public you have counselled my father for years. But I am not my father. I have always valued your counsel and wish for it now more than ever." Morgana stared for another moment before she too nodded and joined the others at the table.

"Sire, is this really a wise idea?" One of the Councillors, who was a staunch supporter of Uther's strict rules for the classes and everyone knowing their place in the kingdom, asked. "No woman has ever sat on this council before and Camelot has fared quite well."

"Have we now?" Arthur asked, crossing his arms and staring the councillor down. "Because the way I see it, not only are we at war but our people go hungry as more and more taxes are imposed, supposedly to fund this war, though we all know that most of it goes to line the pockets of this council. On top of that the people are stopped from achieving all they can due to the strictness of my father's laws that only allow those of noble birth to hold more than a menial job. Furthermore my father's crusade against magic has isolated Camelot from the rest of Albion in all but the barest of terms to the point that we have poor relations and no trade with any of Albion and must take our trade across the sea, which is only possible thanks to the Queen's county of Lyanesse, without which we would be stranded. And on top of all that, innocent people lose their lives everyday, not due to this infernal war, but due to my father's hatred of magic and his decree that anyone even suspected of magic be put to death immediately, forgoing a fair trial and evidence, let alone the truth. So how, My Lord, is Camelot fairing well?" The councillor quelled under Arthur's stare and sat down contritely, deeming it wise to say no more. Arthur turned his glare onto each councillor in turn, daring them to disagree with him, though wisely none did. "Many changes are coming to Camelot. Queen Guinevere and Lady Morgana being on this council is but the beginning. First and foremost those of you that bought your way onto this council and banned together to instil further taxes so as to add to your own wealth when even the cold hearted Uther was reluctant are hereby dismissed and stripped of your titles, lands and wealth." An outcry was heard from all but three councillors, but Arthur was prepared for that. The Knights of Camelot had stood silently around the room, supposedly acting as honour guards for their new king, but in reality were there at his command to remove those stripped of their titles. More guards were called in to lead the disgraced councillors away to await trial for their misdeeds and crimes against the people of Camelot.

"Let that be a warning to all that are still on this council." Gwen spoke up, having known of this part of Arthur's plan. "Just like the King and I, you too are servants of the people. Treachery and crimes against them will not be tolerated." The remaining three councillors bowed their heads to acknowledgement, both terrified of what was to come, and relishing the apparent end of corruption in Camelot.

"Sir Leon, Sir Percival, Sir Elyan." Arthur called the attention of the Knights in question. "Your fathers' titles and lands are now yours as are their places on the council, if you so wish them." Arthur had spoken to the three Knights who had fathers on the council, and while, like Arthur himself, they would always love their fathers they knew they were not good men and so held no ill will towards Arthur disposing of them.

"Sire?" Sir Leon questioned. While they'd been forewarned about Arthur's decision regarding their fathers, the King had not shared his decision regarding what was to become of their titles, lands, and positions on the council.

"All of your have proven yourselves to be honourable and true, dedicated to the protection and prosperity of Camelot and its people. I could ask for no better."

"I am honoured, Sire." Sir Percival spoke up. "And I accept the position."

"And I." Said Sir Elyan.

"And I." Sir Leon agreed.

"Excellent." Arthur looked quite pleased, and smiled at his friends. "Then take your seats, Councillors." Once the three Knights were seated, Arthur moved on to the next order of business. "As of right now all laws my father passed regarding execution, punishment and extra taxing are null and void. Our primary concern now is our people. All planned executions are to be stayed until we re-evaluate the crimes of all those in the dungeons, and re-evaluate the laws. Help shall be given to all those in need whether it be food, water, medicine, coin, supplies for winter or repairs to homes."

"If I may, Sire." Sir Leon spoke up and Arthur nodded. "Chilstone will return all taxes collected, save what is necessary, to the people. It belongs to them, not the earldom."

"As will Deira."

"And Kinwick." Both Sir Elyan and Sir Percival agreed. The other three remaining lords were quick to follow their lead, both wanting to get on the good side of their king, and believing it the right thing to do.

"Good. The other counties shall do so as well and the Knights of Camelot will see to it until such a time as new bannermen are found." The Knights in question nodded their acceptance. "Now we come to the final topic of this meeting before we all go forth to help the people." Arthur paused to ensure he had everyone's attention. "I am lifting the ban on magic." Whatever they had expected it had not been that. Magic had been banned in Camelot since the time of Arthur's birth and the return of it seemed inconceivable.

"Magic has brought nothing of pain and sorrow to Camelot." One of the lords insisted. "You would have that return to the kingdom?"

"Magic itself is not the cause of the pain and sorrow you speak of. It is merely the tool that was used. Swords too are tools. They may be used to protect and defend, or kill and destroy, it all depends on whose hands they are in and how they are used. Magic will no longer be outlawed, it is too rampant in Britain to ban without causing harm to many of our people. My father's fear and lack of understanding is what caused the ban in the first place but I will not fear magic any more than I fear a sword, nor will I allow myself to remain ignorant of it when it lives inside so many of my people. The ban will be lifted and we shall attach the use of magic to the laws already in existence, and those we are re-evaluating. Just as murder with a sword is a crime so to will murder with magic. The use of it, however, will not be illegal, its legality will depend entirely on how it is used."

"And who shall help regulate magical practitioners, Sire?" Another lord asked. "While you may not fear magic, you yourself have none, unless we greatly mistaken. Should someone with ill intent use magic to their own ends we will be all but powerless against them with no magic of our own."

"You are correct. Which is why we will have magic of our own." This piqued the interest of all sitting at the table save Gwen, who already knew of whom Arthur spoke. "It shall be the duty of the newest member of our council to ensure that magical beings tow the line just as it is the duty of county lords, sheriffs, and guards to ensure all others tow the line."

"Which new member, Sire?" Sir Elyan asked, looking between himself, his fellow Knights as well as The Queen and Lady Morgana, the five of them being the only new members of the council.

"The member of whom I speak has yet to join us." Arthur smiled and turned towards the man who had remained hidden in the shadows, awaiting his master's orders as he had been trained to do. "Merlin." He called, summoning his manservant who came forward immediately to stand beside The King. "Many of you know my _former_ manservant. Merlin is a warlock. He possesses magic and has graciously agreed to become the Court Mage and my advisor in all things magic. All magical beings within Camelot will answer to him should they ever cross that line. Given his new position, Merlin will now be known as His Excellency, the Lord Mage. A courtesy title, given he is clearly not of noble birth-"

"Arthur…" Gwen said lowly, raising her eyebrow at her husband. No matter how close they had grown, no matter how much Arthur was truly lifting the ban on magic for his friend rather than for his people, he still would never admit it in public, nor could he seem to stop the teasing and bantering insults that had dominated his and Merlin's relationship; Gwen would be worried if only Merlin did not give as good as he got.

"Oh all right." He grumbled, seemingly quite reluctantly. "I shall make you Earl of Ealdor. Happy now?" He addressed his wife who merely smiled genially. Merlin, for his part, seemed quite surprised at this turn of events. "I know how Ealdor has suffered as a village bordering territory often occupied by the Saxons. We can only be thankful that Cenred has taken back that territory, though for how long remains to be seen. I was going to help them myself but giving you the power to help them frees up my time." Merlin let loose a small laugh at Arthur's feeble excuse, though he was honestly touched that Arthur had thought of the village where his mother and Gaius, as well as every member of his family, had come from; he himself had been the first to be born outside Ealdor. "Just don't neglect your duties, Lord Mage! And for God's sake find me a decent manservant to replace you or you shall continue those duties on top of all your new ones. Am I clear?" He snapped, having heard Merlin laugh.

"Of course, Sire." Merlin could not help but smile as he said it.

"And get you some decent clothes too." Arthur added.

"Yes, Sire." Merlin laughed once again unable to help himself.

"Does anyone have anything else to add?" The King asked pinching the bridge of his nose as he often did where Merlin was concerned. When no one spoke up Arthur dismissed the council and watched as most filed out, leaving only himself, Gwen, Morgana and Merlin.

"I'm proud of you Arthur." Morgana said, giving her pseudo brother a hug as light and hope shined in her eyes as it hadn't in many years, since she'd become fully aware of the depth of Uther's cruelty and corruption. "I see hope for Camelot as I haven't for many years. And thank you for giving me a place on your council. I can't tell you what it means to me."

"You have more than deserved it, Morgana." Arthur said, returning the hug. "I meant what I said about respecting, and needing, your counsel. In fact yours is second only to my Queen's. Of all the people in this world I trust you two the most."

"What about me?" Merlin demanded. Arthur sent him a sideways glance before turning back to Morgana.

"As I said, of all the people in this world I trust you two the most."

"You just don't love me anymore, do you?" Merlin asked.

"Merlin…"

"Shut up."

"You guessed it."

* * *

 **A/N - Merlin's title of Lord Mage, while I admit is kinda funny sounding, is in the style of the Lord Chamberlain, or the Lord Privy Seal, which are both historical offices/titles within the British monarch's household. Lots more on Merlin to come next chapter!**


	4. The Last Dragonlord

_Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin._

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 **Chapter 4 – The Last Dragonlord**

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The following days passed by in a blur of activity as the kingdom adjusted to the changes Arthur made. Once the ban on magic was lifted, magical beings of all sorts came out of the woodwork. Many were friendly and quite grateful to their new king for lifting the ban. In the first few weeks afterwards many people came to Camelot Castle, feeling the need to pledge their allegiance to their King and assure him their magic would be used for good and in his service. Merlin, in his capacity as Lord Mage, was on hand every time a magical being showed up. After meeting Merlin almost all pledged their allegiance to him as well, especially after a visit by the Druids. When they arrived, the Druids greeted their King and Queen before falling to their knees in front of Merlin. They called him Emrys, a name he'd been called before, though the one who had used the name had refused to tell him why and what it meant, saying he would know when the time was right. Apparently that was now, for the Druids had no qualms of explaining, when Merlin practically demanded it of them, that Emrys was the one the ancient prophecies foretold of, The Immortal Mage, the most powerful warlock to ever exist. Merlin, who'd grown up a manservant who'd just happened to have magic, was quite shocked at their pronouncement but he took it in stride and Arthur, Gwen and Morgana were all impressed with how calmly he'd handled himself for the Merlin they grew up with would have been flustered at least.

While most magical beings to come out of hiding were friendly not all were, and some decided Arthur needed to pay for his father's actions against magical beings. They thought it would be easy to get their revenge, but they did not count on Merlin. During those first few weeks he certainly proved himself as the great Emrys, having singlehandedly stopped several attempts on both Arthur and Gwen's lives. However, while he protected the two monarchs, one fell through the cracks and Morgana ended up being kidnapped, seemingly by discontented sorcerers. Both the Knights of Camelot and Merlin scoured all of Britain for Morgana's whereabouts but with no luck. Then, not long after her capture, they were besieged by something that took precedence, for with the return of magic came the return of magical creatures, not all of them friendly, and some quite powerful. The creature that caused the upheaval was a dragon, a creature not seen for centuries.

"Aren't they supposed to be extinct?" Sir Percival asked as he, Elyan and Leon followed their King to the council chambers where an emergency meeting had been called to determine how to deal with the dragon that terrorized Camelot.

"Whether they are supposed to be extinct or not, clearly they aren't." Arthur muttered as he took his seat at the head of the table, his wife by his side while Morgana's seat stood empty, awaiting her return.

"Hundreds have been injured, Sire, and too many are dead." Sir Elyan began the report. "Most of the outlying villages have been destroyed as well. Houses, crops…they've all been burnt to the ground."

"And the creature now moves closer and closer to the castle." Added Sir Leon. "The closer it gets the bigger the population and the more lives lost."

"Then we must stop it before it reaches the city." Arthur's decision was final, though none knew how they would achieve it. "What can you tell me about dragons, Gaius? Specifically their weaknesses."

"A dragon's weaknesses are very few, Sire." Gaius said. The Court Physician, and Merlin's father for all intents and purposes, had refused an official place on the council citing his age and having too many duties already, but Arthur, and nearly everyone for that matter, still looked to him for guidance. "Their skin is nearly impenetrable, they can fly faster than any horse can run, their fire burns hotter then a common brazier, they can live for thousands of years and their breath has healing powers."

"Are you saying we have no chance of defeating this dragon?" Gwen asked, reaching for Arthur's hand as the thought that all of Camelot could be destroyed entered her mind.

"I would not go that far, Your Grace, for it is not impossible."

"Then how?!" Arthur demanded. "If our weapons won't hurt it and it can take to the sky to escape any attacks, how can we kill it?"

"Our best hope is a Dragonlord, Sire."

"A Dragonlord? What's a Dragonlord?'

"A Dragonlord possesses a rare type of magic which connects the souls of the dragon and Dragonlord together. They have the ability to communicate with, and even tame, dragons. If a Dragonlord gives a command it must be followed."

"Well where can we find one of these Dragonlords?"

"The Dragonlords went extinct along with the dragons many centuries ago." Gaius informed them. "It is said that when the dragons disappeared, the magic of the Dragonlords dried up, for their comrades were gone. This proved to be not entirely correct as your father discovered during The Great Purge."

"And what did my father do with that knowledge?" Arthur had to ask though he was sure he already knew.

"He hunted them like he did all other magic users. He deemed their power too great a threat to leave alive. Uther feared that as the Dragonlords were not extinct, the dragons themselves were not either and he feared that the dragons would be revived and would be used as an army to defeat him."

"Of course he did." Gwen squeezed her husband's hand in reassurance, both of them knowing how paranoid Uther had been, especially regarding magic. "So there is no hope then. My father truly destroyed the last of the Dragonlords."

"Not exactly, Sire." Gaius said hesitantly. "One Dragonlord escaped, by the name of Balinor."

"Balinor. So we will search him out, get him to help us!"

"I'm afraid Balinor has since died, Your Grace. Uther never stopped searching for him and word reached him of his death several years ago. But all is not lost." He added before Arthur could interrupt him. "The powers of a Dragonlord are hereditary, passed from father to son, and Balinor fathered a son who yet lives."

"Then we will search _him_ out and get him to help us."

"A search won't be necessary, Sire. I know exactly where The Last Dragonlord may be found." He paused and shuffled his feet, causing Arthur to sigh at the delay.

"Gaius, you have my love and utmost respect, but please do get on with it!"

"If I may, Sire, this story should be told by another. She awaits outside."

"Then bring her in!" He motioned to the guards standing at the doors who took their cue to open them.

"Mother?" Merlin gasped as Hunith entered the room. Since Merlin's appointment as Lord Mage Hunith had continued to work as Head Housekeeper within the castle. Although her son now held a prominent position at court, and by extension his family's station rose as well, both she and Gaius had refused much which Arthur would bestow on them, taking only the offer of better rooms within the palace allowing them to be closer to Merlin, and for Gaius in his old age to be more comfortable.

"Hunith knew Balinor far better than I ever did." Gaius explained. "And I believe it her right to tell this particular tale." All eyes turned to the woman in question, though her eyes were only on her son as she spoke.

"Shortly before The Great Purge, Balinor arrived in Camelot. This was when Queen Ygraine was still alive and magic had yet to be banned. Balinor delighted The King and court with his magic though he never revealed himself to be a Dragonlord. We fell in love, he and I, and intended to be married. We shared everything with each other, and Balinor one day confessed to me his heritage, and I swore never to tell another soul. The secrecy became even more necessary when Queen Ygraine died and Uther began his crusade against magic. Balinor had to flee for the entire court knew he possessed magic. He swore to return for me when it was safe, but it never was."

"Mother…" Merlin went to his mother and wrapped her in his arms when he saw her eyes begin to water.

"I'm sorry. I have not spoken of Balinor in many years."

"We are grateful for all you share with us, Hunith." Gwen said. "Anything you can tell us that might help stop this dragon is wondrous in our eyes." At the reminder that there currently was a dragon terrorizing and killing the people of Camelot Hunith quickly composed herself and continued.

"I suppose there's nothing to do but get it out." She pulled out of Merlin's arms though held his hands and once again spoke only to him. "I did not know when Balinor fled that I was pregnant." Merlin stiffened hearing those words as his brain began to catch up with what his mother was saying. "Though I never saw or heard from him again, he left me the greatest gift possible. You."

"You…you're telling me this Balinor is my father?" Merlin said after a moment.

"Yes. Balinor is your father, and he would have loved you had he had the chance. But like he left me with a wondrous gift, he left you with one as well. Your birthright. You are The Last Dragonlord, Merlin." Usually Arthur would not pass up the opportunity to tease his friend with some comment of 'we're doomed,' but hearing this even he was silent.

"Why did you never tell me? Either of you?" He looked to Gaius as well, unsure how he felt about finally discovering who his father was.

"When I discovered I was pregnant I confessed all to Uncle Gaius, even breaking my promise and telling him that Balinor was a Dragonlord for I feared that your magic would manifest while you were too young to stop it and that Uther would discover you."

"While Uther was alive it was too dangerous to tell you, and I promised Hunith never to mention it so long as the knowledge of who your father was could harm you."

"You wanted to protect Merlin." Gwen surmised. "That is entirely understandable."

"Please forgive me, Merlin. Please." Hunith begged and seeing the sorrow in her eyes Merlin could do nothing else.

"Of course I do. Both of you." He said to Gaius who smiled at his nephew. "So what happens now? How am I supposed to be a Dragonlord?"

"You have always been a Dragonlord, Merlin, ever since you were born." Hunith said. "The magic is passed from father to son and now you alone carry the ancient gift. From the little Balinor told me, you must look deep inside yourself and find the voice that you and the dragons share, for your soul and theirs are brothers. Balinor said that when you speak to a dragon as kin, it must obey your will." Although he was still unsure Merlin nodded and kissed his mother on the cheek before turning to Arthur.

"Get me to the dragon and I will handle the rest." Arthur nodded and gave the command for the Knights to assemble and prepare to depart. After saying goodbye to Gwen, Gaius and Hunith, Arthur and Merlin joined the Knights in the courtyard and mounted their horses, departing for the last known location of the dragon. They rode for most of the day before they saw signs that a dragon had indeed been there. Fields were burnt as were the few villages they came across, the dragon's fire having left behind nothing but charred remains. Night had fallen by the time they located the dragon, though it was hard to miss for it was at the centre of a raging fire. Merlin used his magic to douse the flames enough to be able to contain it, though that is all he had time to do before the dragon noticed their arrival and went on the attack. The men scattered as the dragon swooped down low, breathing fire at them and Merlin was forced to abandon the forest fire in favour of protecting Arthur and the Knights.

"Stay down!" He yelled and they quickly obeyed, flattening themselves on the ground, knowing they were useless against a dragon. Merlin stood tall in the middle of the clearing they found themselves in and watched as the dragon circled around in the air to make another pass. Closing his eyes, Merlin took to heart the advice his mother had given him and looked deep inside himself, searching for the familiar feeling of his magic, then following it even deeper, looking for the power that had always been there though he had not known it.

"Merlin…" Arthur called seeing the dragon was heading in their direction once again, though his Lord Mage gave no indication that he had heard his King. "Merlin." He called again as the dragon drew closer. "MERLIN!" He shouted when it was close enough for him to see it taking in a breath, preparing to unleash its fire once more. His shout wasn't the only one, however, for a great roar came from Merlin.

" _Dragon! Nan dule kai!"_ The dragon halted in mid air, its attention now fully focused on Merlin. " _Kai e mis epsepas. Imala, kurat katostow hopo!"_ The more Merlin spoke the more docile the dragon became. It flew to the ground and gently landed as Merlin approached it. _"Geliss cladesgyo mitasentende defares. Ka…clisas."_ The dragon made what sounded to be a whine and when it lowered its head, bowing to Merlin under the weight of the Dragonlord's power, Arthur and the Knights felt it safe to get up, though they made no move to get closer to the dragon. Merlin looked at the dragon for a moment before speaking once again, though no words, not even those in the language he had spoken moments ago, left his mouth.

 _"Why?"_ He asked the dragon through the bond their souls shared. _"Why have you come here to destroy and kill?"_

" _I have spent the last century in slumber, until not long ago another Dragonlord came upon my resting place and woke me."_ The dragon replied. _"He stayed with me for some years before sending me to search out others of my kind. That is how I have spent these last years. Though my journey was pointless, for I found no others like me. And so I returned here only to discover that my friend who woke me is dead and that I am the last of my kind. My friend spoke of the one who sent him into hiding, who hunted us, and those like us. Uther Pendragon must pay for what he has done."_

" _Uther Pendragon is dead."_ Merlin told him, though he truthfully only wanted to ask about his father, for before him Balinor had been the only Dragonlord left. _"That is his son, Arthur, who now sits as King. Arthur is a fair and kind ruler. He has restored magic to Camelot and has charged me with ensuring its safe return, and that those who feel the need for revenge do not cause harm. You will cause no more destruction here, or anywhere! Too many lives have been lost."_ The dragon bowed his head once more under the command of the Dragonlord. _"What is your name?"_ Merlin asked when he was assured his command would be followed.

" _The Dragonlord who called me from my egg named me Aithusa."_

" _Aithusa…a fitting name for the last white dragon."_

" _My friend-"_

"Balinor. His name was Balinor, was it not?"

" _Yes…he said that he was The Last Dragonlord, yet here you stand. Perhaps then, there are others…"_

" _I am The Last Dragonlord. Balinor was my father, though he had no knowledge I existed. There is, however, another dragon. The Great Dragon still lives. Kilgharrah will be pleased to know he is not the last of his kind. You will find him in the White Mountains, most likely by the Lake of Avalon and the Isle of the Blessed."_

" _You are showing me great clemency, young Dragonlord and it will not be forgotten. I shall repay my debt to you, this I swear."_ Aithusa then took to the sky and flew off in the direction of the White Mountains, hoping The Last Dragonlord was right and that she would find The Great Dragon.

"What happened?" Arthur demanded once the dragon was gone and he and his Knights approached. "Is Camelot safe?"

"Camelot is safe, I promise. I've sent Aithusa away and commanded her to cause no more harm."

"Aithusa?"

"That is her name, the one my ancestors gave her when she was born."

"Right. And you're certain Camelot is safe?"

"Have I ever led you wrong?" Arthur looked highly unimpressed with him.

"Well there was that time in the Forests of Balor, the journey through the Feorre Mountains, and lets not forget the famous 'what could go wrong?' statement that seems to precede disaster whenever it comes out of your mouth."

"Alright so I've made some mistakes." Merlin admitted. "But so have you, and this is not one of them." He said before Arthur could interrupt. "Aithusa was attacking to punish Uther for killing her friend, who happened to be my father. When I told her Uther was dead and that you were a much better king then he was she apologized and I let her go."

"Really? That's it?" Sir Leon asked sceptically. "According to Gaius your father has been dead for several years, so why now?"

"Because she had been searching the world for other dragons and did not learn of his death until she returned here recently."

"Did she find any? Other dragons I mean?" Sir Elyan asked.

"No." Merlin said simply. Although he knew that Aithusa was not the only dragon left, he had promised Kilgharrah many years ago that he would keep The Great Dragon's existence a secret. And now, after learning of his heritage as The Last Dragonlord, he felt an even stronger need to protect the last remaining dragons. With Merlin's assurance that the threat was gone, the men returned to the castle being welcomed by Gwen and half the court who had assembled when the sentries brought news of their approach.

"Welcome home, Arthur." Gwen said, unable to hide her smile as Arthur stepped up to the dais that held their thrones.

"While I am certainly glad to be back, the success of this mission falls entirely on Merlin." Arthur said and turned to the warlock, beckoning him forward to stand between him and Gwen.

"We owe our thanks to His Excellency, The Lord Mage. Were it not for him, the dragon would have decimated Camelot. It is also with great pleasure that we acknowledge another, very deserved, title, though one that is not by our grace, but his birthright. The Lord Mage is The Last Dragonlord, the last in a long line of warlocks dating to ancient times. We hope you will no longer have need to hide your birthright, Merlin." He said quieter, speaking from one friend to another and not as King. "And you have our sincerest thanks for all you did this night."

"And to show his appreciation Arthur has decided that he's going to be nice to you." Gwen added.

"I have?"

"Oh yes, and for an entire week."

"A week?!"

"After all he's done for Camelot it is the least you can do."

"Oh very well." Arthur appeared to be in pain as he agreed to his wife's plan.

"This should be fun." Merlin said with a laugh. "I doubt he'll last a day." Arthur's jaw clenched, knowing Merlin was trying to get a rise out of him, though it quickly unclenched when he had a thought.

"I'll take that as a challenge, Merlin. Care to name the stakes?" Merlin's eyes filled with mirth.

"If you say one mean, condescending, or sarcastic thing, or treat me in any way that could be construed as not nice, then…you have to wait on me for an entire day."

"And when I win, you'll go back to mucking out my stable for a day."

"Done." Both men shook on it and Gwen sighed.

"This was not my intention you know."

"We know, sweetheart. But the result is the same. I will be nice to Merlin all week. And we will start with a feast held in The Lord Mage's honour tonight."

"Don't you mean tomorrow? It is almost midnight already. Or is the mush you call brains not able to tell time?" Merlin asked. He'd spend the rest of the week trying to get a rise out of Arthur.

"Very well, tomorrow then." Arthur said quite congenially. "Now we bid you all goodnight." Then he offered his arm to Gwen and swiftly left the room before Merlin could see how much he had wanted to respond to his quip.

"It's going to be a long week isn't it?" Gwen asked, having known exactly why they had left so quickly.

"I fear so, yes."

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 **A/N - Naturally I couldn't leave out Merlin being a Dragonlord. Yes I made it be Aithusa and not Kilgharrah that terrorized Camelot, there is a reason for that, and Kilgharrah will be making appearances, and evidently Aithusa will have a very different storyline than in the show.**


	5. The Moment of Truth

_Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.  
_

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 **Chapter 5 – The Moment of Truth**

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It was indeed a long week as both Arthur and Merlin tried to win the wager they had made. In the end Merlin won though we waived his winnings due to the manner in which they were won. With the threat of Aithusa gone the search for Morgana had commenced once more. Guards and knights were sent to scour all of Britain though with no luck. Near the end of the week that happened to make up their bet Arthur was at his wits end worrying over his sister and had snapped at Merlin quite viciously. Merlin knew Arthur said what he did out of his worry for Morgana and so took no offense. He also knew that technically he had won their bet, but giving it had not been in the good nature in which the bet was made he said nothing and continued on as normal. Still, that evening Arthur ended up bringing Merlin his dinner both as a means to apologise and as payment for the lost bet and Merlin graciously accepted both. After several more days of searching Merlin had a thought and used his power as a Dragonlord for the second time, summoning Aithusa. He sent her to search for Morgana, the dragon being able to cover much more ground at a much faster pace, and being able to see things from the sky as you could not on foot or horseback. Aithusa found Morgana, not with vengeful sorcerers, but with the Saxons. Arthur was enraged that they had not only kidnapped his beloved sister, but that they had blamed his people for it, using those disgruntled sorcerers to their own ends so soon after magic was no longer outlawed. He launched a full-scale attack on the Saxon stronghold, refusing to leave without rescuing Morgana, and taking out as many Saxons as he could. The battle was long and bloody, with casualties on both sides, though Arthur and his men lost far fewer and came out victorious. In large part this had to do with Merlin. He'd refused to allow Arthur to go without him and he'd used his magic to protect Arthur and his Knights. The Saxons had had magic on their side as well, but none could match the great Emrys.

Arthur and Morgana were reunited at the Saxon stronghold, both shedding tears of relief. While Arthur would never consider his sister getting kidnapped a good thing, one good thing did come of it: the Saxon King was no longer ambiguous. For the longest time none of Albion knew who the Saxon King was, or why he waged war on them, but after her sojourn with the Saxons Morgana brought the answers. The Saxons had always been hostile, but it was not until their new King took the throne some five years ago that full out war broke. The new King's name was Mordred and according to Morgana he believed himself to be The True King of all Britain, the King the ancient legends spoke of. The legend dated as far back as anyone could remember, having always been a part of British lore within all nine kingdoms. It spoke of The High King who would one day rise above all others and unite the Britons together as one. It was said that The Sword in The Stone, another part of the legend, would identify The High King, for only The True King of all Britain could remove the sword from the stone it had been stuck in for hundreds of years. Mordred believing himself to be this King of legend seemed to do naught but speak of his insanity, for while all had heard the legend none believed it to be true. Morgana, however, seemed to think that Mordred was not as insane as he appeared. Not because she believed him to be The High King, but because she now believed the legend to be real. Arthur was not so sure, but Merlin corroborated Morgana's theory, believing the legend to be true and promising to look more into.

The following few weeks proved hard on all as Morgana's attitude seemed to change overnight. She was not as bright and open as she used to be but rather appeared secretive and was prone to snap at the servants and even Arthur and Gwen. The King believed it to be merely due to Morgana not having recovered from her ordeal, but Gwen thought differently. Arthur, though far more open minded and forward thinking than other men, still spoke as one who believed females to be the weaker sex, even though he knew Morgana to be no wilting flower. Whatever the reason, neither Arthur nor Gwen could get a straight answer out of her and so decided to give up and wait for her to tell them what was wrong. It helped that both King and Queen were distracted by a discovery they made a few weeks after Morgana's rescue.

"Are you certain?" Arthur asked his wife one night after the two had retired to their chambers. Gwen smiled softly and nodded, greatly pleased with her discovery and it appeared Arthur was too, for at her confirmation he dropped to his knees before her and turned his attention to where their child now grew. Gwen placed her hands gently on his head, running her fingers through his hair as she felt him place a gentle kiss on her belly before looking up at her.

"You are pleased then?" She could not help but ask even after his reaction.

"Oh, sweetheart, pleased does not even begin to describe how I am feeling." He said. "I did not think it would happen this soon though. I mean we have not…for very long…" He left the words unsaid as the topic made them both blush.

"Well it only takes the one time so I'm told." She joked. "When shall we announce it to the people?"

"I don't know." He admitted.

"The midwife says it is early days yet. The only reason I know this early is because as Queen I'm watched like a hawk for signs of an heir and Gaius suspected there might be one. She told me some mothers do not even know they are with child until the babe quickens in their belly."

"Well, perhaps we wait for that then." He decided. "Unless people begin to suspect we shall not announce anything until we are as certain as we can be that everything is alright."

"We need to tell Merlin and Morgana though." Gwen insisted. "Neither will forgive us otherwise."

"True." Arthur agreed. "We shall inform them tomorrow then. Though I'm worried about Merlin. We know Morgana can keep a secret, but Merlin…"

"He did hide his magic from Uther for many years." Gwen pointed out. "Considering it meant his life if Uther even suspected he had magic I'd say he can keep a secret very well."

"Alright so he can keep a secret if his life depends on it. I suppose we will just have to make sure he knows his life does depend on it."

"Arthur!" Gwen scolded when he looked far too pleased at tormenting his friend. "We will do no such thing!"

"You take all the fun out of it, Gwen."

"Why? Because I won't let you torment poor Merlin?"

"Yes!" Gwen merely rolled her eyes and shook her head, turning away as she decided it was time to head to bed. Arthur stopped her however and pulled her back into his arms, his lips claiming hers in a gentle, though loving, kiss.

"I love you, Gwen." He said when he pulled away. "I do hope you know that."

"Of course I do. We have loved each other a long time, you and I."

"No, I mean yes, but what I'm trying to say is that my love is more than it once was. Growing up I loved you, not as a sister, thank god, but as the most important woman in my life aside from Morgana, whom I do love as a sister. But it was merely because you were always there, a part of the family and so in a sense I was mandated to love you. But now…young or not, you are my wife Gwen, and I love you as such." Gwen stared up at her husband seeing a new side of him she'd never seen before. He was never one for flowery words or declaring his love, Uther saw to that, but Gwen knew him well enough to know he was entirely sincere and for whatever reason, whether it was the babe growing inside her belly or he simply felt the need, Arthur had declared his love for her, and she couldn't be happier.

"As I love you, husband. With all my heart." She murmured leaning up for another kiss that he was only too happy to reciprocate. It wasn't long before the kiss turned heated and hands began roaming. "Take me to bed Arthur, please." Gwen panted against him when they grew apart for breath. Without hesitating Arthur swept Gwen into his arms and carried her to their bed.

"The child." He said pulling away from her when she'd successfully removed his clothes. "I do not want to hurt him."

"You won't." Gwen assured him and knowing she would never put their child at risk, Arthur said no more as the two came together.

 **oo00oo00oo**

The following morning Merlin and Morgana found themselves summoned to the royal chambers, both arriving in time to see Arthur steal a kiss from his Queen who sat on his lap as he fed her bits of food from their breakfast.

"Oh god!" Merlin cried, dramatically covering his eyes and turning both him and Morgana away. "Our eyes! Our innocent eyes!"

"Merlin!" Arthur snapped. "That's enough out of you, it's too early in the morning for your antics." Merlin released his hold on Morgana as the two turned back to face their friends.

"What's got you two all lovey dovey this morning?" He chose to ask instead of retorting to Arthur's remark.

"Come, sit. We have news for you both." Gwen said making to stand up though Arthur would not let her. It earned him a glare though it held no real heat to it and she comfortably settled back and made no more moves to rise.

"What is it Gwen?" Morgana asked. "You seem quite pleased about something. You both do." She looked between the two, both monarchs wearing bright smiles.

"Pleased does not even begin to describe how we are feeling right now." Arthur said. "In fact I don't know if there is a word that appropriately describes how we feel."

"I'm not surprised you can't think of the appropriate word, we all know you skipped one too many lessons as a child." Merlin couldn't help but quip.

"Merlin…" Arthur growled warningly.

"Enough, both of you." Gwen said, glaring at the two men. "Can you two not patronize one another for five minutes, please?"

"Sorry Gwen." They recited together as they had many time over the years.

"Well…your news?" Morgana prompted when Gwen's glare didn't abate.

"Right!" Arthur immediately perked up. "We wanted you two to be the first to know. Well, besides Gaius and the midwife that is." He babbled, though Morgana was quick to catch onto his words.

"Midwife?!"

"I'm with child." Gwen said, a bright smile forming on her face. Both Merlin and Morgana cried out in joy and hugged their friends, congratulating them of both, though Morgana's congratulations seemed a bit forced.

"Oh a child!" She gushed. "How wonderful! I shall begin sewing garments for the babe, at once! Congratulations again, both of you. To think in some months we'll have a prince or princess running around the castle!" Morgana made her exit then, leaving behind three very confused people.

"Is it just me, or did that seem…"

"Insincere?" Merlin suggested.

"Yes." Arthur said.

"I wonder what the matter is." Gwen murmured, her eyes following the final swish of Morgana's dress as it rounded the corner out of sight.

 **oo00oo00oo**

Contrary to Arthur and Gwen's plans, the Queen's pregnancy did not stay secret for long. News of the impending arrival of an heir spread like wildfire throughout the castle before making its way to the rest of the kingdom and beyond. Gifts began arriving from prominent families within Camelot as well as well as neighbouring kingdoms' royal families, congratulating the King and Queen and all wishing for a son and prince. It had happened so fast that Arthur and Gwen were only glad that they had not waited to tell their friends and had gotten the chance to inform Merlin and Morgana before the news reached them from another source; though admittedly they were still surprised at their sister's lack of enthusiasm for them. She put on a good show, but both knew her well enough after all these years to know when she was faking, only they could not understand why. Gwen wrote it off as jealousy. Morgana was older than her, unmarried, and childless, though it was not for a lack of suitors. As Uther's ward Morgana's hand was often sought after, but no suitor had appealed to her and Uther, and now Arthur, could not find it in them to force her to marry. Beyond that, the time Gwen spent with Morgana had greatly diminished when she and Arthur had been crowned King and Queen, taking much time away from her best friend, and a child would only increase the amount of time Gwen could not spend with Morgana. So it was with great joy that Gwen accepted Morgana's invitation to go out riding one morning. At Arthur's insistence a small army of guards accompanied them, including two of Arthur's most trusted Knights, Sir Leon and Sir Elyan. Gwen thought this too much, they were after all only riding nearby, on a path they rode frequently, but Arthur would not be swayed. They set out shortly after sunrise and Gwen was happy to note that Morgana seemed in a joyous mood, this was the Morgana she knew and loved.

"I'm glad you suggested this, Morgana." Gwen said smiling at her friend who rode beside her. "It has been far too long since we have had some time just the two of us."

"Yes, and with the little one on the way that time will grow even shorter." Morgana murmured causing Gwen to frown and reach over to grasp her hand.

"I hope you know our child will not alter our love for you, Morgana. You are our sister and dearest friend." Morgana smiled and squeezed Gwen's hand in return. "Besides, I count on you to be a good influence on my child. I shudder to think what will happen if Arthur and Merlin are the only role models." Morgana laughed along side Gwen and she felt for the first time in awhile that everything was all right between the two of them. How wrong she was. Not long after they'd properly entered the forest, were hidden from view from anyone on the main road, did an arrow whizz passed and embed itself into one of the guards not far from Gwen.

"To arms!" Both Sir Leon and Sir Elyan cried together, drawing their swords and moving as a practiced unit to protect The Queen and Lady Morgana. Their move couldn't have come a moment too soon for the second the two ladies were ensconced in the middle of the knights and guards' circle did a band of men reveal themselves, charging through the trees. Gwen looked to Morgana fearfully, glad at least to see that she wasn't as scared as Gwen herself was, though she found it odd that there was no trace of fear within Morgana's eyes at all.

"When I give the word, you and Lady Morgana ride like the wind to the castle, Your Majesty." Sir Leon said, bringing Gwen's attention back to him and the others trying to protect them.

"What about you?" Gwen couldn't help but ask.

"It is our duty to protect you, Your Majesty." Sir Elyan replied as he and Leon awaited the horde of men running towards them on foot.

"But-"

"Normally I would not dare give orders to a queen, but in this I fear I must." Said Leon. "Do as we say, Your Majesty." Gwen looked uncertain but nodded her head in acceptance, knowing it was not just her life at stake, but her child's as well. When their attackers came, the knights and guards did all they could to keep them at bay at least long enough for their Queen to escape.

"Now!" Cried Elyan as he and Sir Leon made a path for the two women. Gwen spurred her horse forwards, sparing a glance back only long enough to see if Morgana followed. Turning back Gwen urged her horse to go faster but it was all in vain. A tree, which only moments before had seemed as sturdy as the old oak it was, came crashing down in their path, blocking their exit. Gwen's horse reared up as it came upon the obstacle far too big for it to jump and Gwen barely held on. When her horse was calmed Gwen turned to look for an alternate route but found none and it was too late. An arm wrapped around Gwen's waist and she cried out as she was pulled from her horse.

"Your Majesty!" Sir Leon yelled from where he was still trying to fend off his attackers.

"Put down your swords, or I'll kill her!" The man holding Gwen called, holding his own sword at her neck. With no other choice, with no one close enough to The Queen to be of any assistance, the remaining guards did as they were instructed.

"Good work." An unfamiliar voice spoke "We now have The Queen of Camelot in our grasp. Arthur will do anything to get her back." Gwen slowly turned her head and was met with the sight of a woman she had never seen before standing tall and triumphant before her. "Bring the others." Leon and the other guards were brought to stand next to her, before all were forced to their knees, along with Morgana, though the unknown woman's reaction to Morgana's treatment was unexpected to say the least.

"Fool!" She cried, raising her hand and sending the bandit flying away from Morgana. "Sister, are you alright?" Gwen could not help the gasp of surprise that escaped her lips as the woman came forward and helped Morgana to her feet.

"Yes, of course I am."

"Good. I could not bear it if you were hurt."

"I am fine, Morgause, truly."

"Morgana? What is going on?" Gwen finally asked. The two women turned their attention to Camelot's Queen, both gaining identical smirks.

"Is it not obvious, Gwen?" Morgana taunted.

"I certainly hope not for the obvious is unbearable."

"Then learn to bear it, for all is as it seems."

"Why would you betray us?" Sir Leon demanded, having known Morgana since he first came to Camelot as a squire many years ago. "You are The King's sister-"

"Arthur is no brother of mine!" Morgana snapped. "At least not in ways that truly matter, though I will not deny we share a father."

"What?" Gwen breathed. "You're-"

"Uther's bastard? Yes." She left it at that. "Mordred!" One of the bandits came forward then and smiled satisfactorily at Morgana and Morgause.

"We should move them, don't want to give our dear Arthur the chance to find them before we are ready."

"Too right you are." Morgause agreed. "Let's move." The prisoners' hands were tied before them and they were led by rope away from road.

"Your Majesty." Sir Leon muttered from beside her, both glad that at least that they had not been separated.

"Why would she betray us?" Gwen whispered. "Morgana has been my truest friend since I came to Camelot as a child, she was my sister in all but blood."

"The whys can wait until later, My Queen. First we must escape."

"I will be of no use to you in that endeavour, Sir Leon. I fear I have neither the physical strength nor the clarity of mind to attempt it."

"We must get you to safety, My Queen."

"We must get word to Arthur is what we must do." Gwen took a deep breath and forced her troubled thoughts to clear enough to think coherently, for now at least. "When a moment presents itself you and Sir Elyan…where's Sir Elyan?" She broke off only now noticing the other Knight was missing.

"He…he is dead, Your Grace." Leon spoke softly.

"He will be honoured upon our return to the castle." Gwen replied after a moment of silence. "Then it is up to you, Sir Leon. When a moment presents itself you must escape and return to the castle."

"I cannot leave you here, Your Majesty."

"You can, and you must. No doubt when we reach wherever we are going we will be separated and I will be more heavily guarded than you. Besides, if that is indeed Mordred then these are no bandits. Arthur must know the Saxons have invaded Camelot. He must also be made aware of Morgana's betrayal." The last part was spoken quietly as Gwen still had trouble believing it herself.

"And you intend to make me the bringer of that particular piece of news." Leon groaned. "I'd rather take on the Saxons myself then tell The King that Morgana has betrayed us."

* * *

 **A/N - Morgause has arrived and with her comes Morgana's betrayal. That was never going to change, Morgana is still gonna be the main villain. More from Morgause and Mordred to come though.**


	6. The Witch's Betrayal

_Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.  
_

* * *

 **Chapter 6 – The Witch's Betrayal**

* * *

"Sire! Sire! King Arthur!" The shout was heard throughout the castle long before the owner of the voice was seen. Arthur and Merlin had been in council together, speaking of magical matters throughout the kingdom, when they heard it, but before either could even rise from their chairs the doors to the council chamber burst open to reveal Sir Leon.

"Sir Leon." Arthur said standing immediately and going to the knight's side. "What has happened? Where is Guinevere?!" His voice rose in urgency when he took in the blood and dirt that covered the knight.

"The Queen has been kidnapped." Leon got straight to the point, though the quickness of his response did nothing to lessen Arthur's worry or anger. He appeared first in shock though it did not last and a nearby chair took the brunt of his anger.

"What happened?" Merlin asked for Arthur seemed unable to.

"We were set upon in the woods, Your Excellency. We thought by bandits, but we now believe it to be the Saxons."

"Saxons in Camelot?" Arthur spoke after destroying the chair.

"Yes, Sire, a woman we heard called Morgause appeared to be leading them. Or one of the leaders at any rate, for Mordred was there as well. Morgause possesses magic, Your Excellency."

"I've never heard of a Morgause." Merlin told Arthur. "But magic is still newly returned to Camelot, it is unsurprising that we have not heard of all magical beings within the kingdom."

"There's more, Sire." Leon said. "Normally I would try to break this to you gently but with The Queen in their hands there is no time." He paused for only a moment to ensure he had Arthur's full attention, though it wasn't needed; with his wife and unborn child in danger, his attention was on nothing else. "They are in league with Morgana. She has betrayed us. And she too has magic." There was no anger in Arthur's features this time, only shock. While Gwen being kidnapped was terrible it was certainly not something he would consider out of the realm of possibility. Morgana, his sister, betraying him however, was unthinkable.

"No, you must be mistaken."

"I assure you I am not, Sire, though I know nothing I say will convince you. You will have to see for yourself when we rescue The Queen. I just did not want you to go in there with no warning."

"Is Sir Elyan with her?" Arthur began to mobilize, making his way out of the council chamber and towards the armoury with both Merlin and Sir Leon at his side.

"No, Sire. Sir Elyan is dead. He died defending The Queen."

"He shall be honoured for it when Guinevere is returned to Camelot." Leon could not help the small smile that formed at Arthur's words that were so like his wife's. "Round up the knights, we leave immediately."

"If I might, I advise against it, Sire." Merlin spoke up.

" 'Advise against it?' " Arthur growled stopping in his tracks to glare at the warlock. "Merlin, my wife and unborn child, and Morgana," he could not help but add. "Are in the clutches of the Saxons. I will need every available man if I am to rescue them unharmed."

"If this Morgause does possess magic you will need a magic wielder to defeat her." He wisely left out Leon's claim that magic might also be needed to fight Morgana.

"Then we will bring you along too!"

"Or we could travel just the three of us and get there a lot faster, and with a force they won't be able to fight against."

"You mean the great Emrys?" Arthur snorted, though not as derisively as he would have them believe; he knew how powerful Merlin was.

"Well yes, but there's also Aithusa."

"Aithusa?" Both Knight and King parroted, both quite happy that Merlin would summon her once more; she'd done much to earn forgiveness for attacking Camelot when she found Morgana. Merlin smiled and motioned for them to follow him and they quickly found themselves in a field outside the city walls. Arthur and Leon shared a look as Merlin turned to the sky and spoke in the language of the dragons that neither of them understood.

" _Dragon! Imala! Sungente gumenta! Keshophanekes!"_ It wasn't long before what sounded like the flapping of giant wings was heard and a large dragon flew over the tree line and landed gracefully before them, much to their shock for this was not the white dragon they knew to be Aithusa.

"What are you doing here?" Merlin demanded.

"What have you summoned me for this time, young warlock?" The dragon spoke and Arthur and Leon's eyes widened further not having expected to be able to understand him.

"I didn't summon you, I summoned Aithusa."

"You did not summon Aithusa by name and so any dragon could answer your call."

"But why would you come after you've gone to great lengths to stay hidden?"

"I felt it was time to reveal myself, at least to those who are worthwhile." The dragon spared a quick glance at Arthur and Leon before turning back to Merlin. "Now, what is it you need?"

"Queen Guinevere is missing, kidnapped by the Saxons and a sorceress named Morgause." He replied.

"Are you not leaving out someone important in all this? Someone I warned you long ago would be responsible for Camelot's downfall?" Merlin hung his head for a moment, but only a moment as his belief that he'd done the right thing in not killing Morgana strengthened.

"Sir Leon says Morgana betrayed us." He admitted. "But I stand by my decision. Whatever glimpse of the future you saw, I will not condemn someone for something they have yet to do. The future is always changing, you yourself told me this."

"I told you the future was difficult to predict. Some futures are as changeable as running water, others are near set in stone."

" _Near_ being the key word there."

"Hold on." Arthur spoke up once his shock of seeing another dragon up close abated. "What is he talking about, Merlin? And who is this? We know it's not the same dragon."

"Greetings, Arthur Pendragon." The dragon spoke directly to him. "Long have I awaited the reign of The Once and Future King and the peace and freedom it has brought to magic users and creatures alike. You will achieve many great things, King Arthur."

"T-thank you." He replied hesitantly before once again turning to Merlin.

"This is Kilgharrah." Merlin explained.

"You've kept the existence of another dragon from me?"

"I am The Last Dragonlord, Sire, it is my duty to protect them. Besides not everything revolves around you." He mumbled the last bit, though not quietly enough.

"I heard that." Arthur growled but let it go for now. "He spoke of the future…what does he mean?" Merlin hesitated, unsure weather he wanted to be truthful in this instance but decided it was for the best to get everything out in the open.

"Kilgharrah warned me that Morgana would betray Camelot. He said she would be Camelot's downfall."

"And you never thought to tell me?!" Arthur's demeanour of calm disappeared.

"I didn't believe it myself! It was Morgana, Arthur, your sister, our friend. How could I believe that sweet child we grew up with could betray us?" Arthur glared at him a few moments longer but eventually conceded.

"So she really has betrayed us then." His last hope that Leon had been wrong disappeared as well.

"I fear so." Merlin mumbled. "But we won't know for certain until we get there and rescue Gwen."

"And how are we getting there, by the way?" Leon spoke up for the first time since the dragon appeared.

"That's where Aithusa was supposed to come in, though Kilgharrah will do just as well." Merlin said. "He's going to be our secret weapon." The Great Dragon did not appear too pleased with Merlin's idea but given how often he'd lectured Merlin on the importance of Arthur's reign, how Guinevere would play just as important a role, and knowing she was in danger, he could not deny his aid in this venture and so lowered his body enough for the three men to climb on before he took flight once more, carrying them to Gwen's side.

 **oo00oo00oo**

The Queen of Camelot had been left to her own devices since being brought to the Saxon camp. She had been led inside a small cottage, which looked like it had seen better days, with guards posted at the door and had yet to see anyone since. She knew Leon had gotten away, Morgana wouldn't have been so mad at Mordred earlier had he been caught, and would no doubt have made it to Camelot by now and informed Arthur what had happened. She only had to wait until her husband came to rescue her, but the waiting was what was killing her for while she waited she had plenty of time to think about Morgana's betrayal. She could not make sense of it. Morgana had been her best friend since she first arrived at Camelot as a young girl, she'd never shown any animosity or dislike for her, nor had she given any reason for Gwen to believe that the love she felt for her friend was not reciprocated. Wanting answers, and with no better way to spend her time, Gwen marched over to the cottage's doorwar and demanded to speak with Morgana. The guard gave a snort but otherwise ignored her, prompting Gwen to scream as loudly as she could for her one time friend. It wasn't long before Morgana, Morgause and Mordred were drawn by the noise and whether Morgana truly wanted to talk with her or if she was humouring her Gwen could care less for Morgana had left the other two and come to see her.

"What do you want?" Morgana asked, a cold look in her eyes which Gwen had seen only directed at Uther when he was at his worst.

"Why? Why would you betray us? _How_ could you betray us after all the years we were family? We love you-"

"You never loved me!" Came the snarled reply. "None of you!"

"What?" Gwen breathed. "How can you… _of course_ we love you, Morgana!"

"No. You merely put up with me. All of you. And then Arthur turned out no better than Uther. The suffering my kind go through under his rule while his lap dog Merlin tells everyone that nothing is amiss, yet all the while he's supressing magic users so that he, the great Emrys, can seem all powerful!" Her words were said with such conviction and such hate that Gwen had no doubt that Morgana truly believed what she said. It made Gwen wonder what had happened to her friend, why reality was so warped in her mind. Unable to truly forget the friendship they shared, Gwen was not prepared to give up on her. If she was under a spell, if Morgana's beliefs were in some way forced upon her, then they could save her, and all could be as it once was; it was a chance Gwen could not pass up.

"We know things are not as they should be, Morgana. But Arthur has only been King a few months. It takes time for years of suppression to disappear, but both Arthur and Merlin are doing all they can for the people of Camelot, all of them, not just those who were allowed under Uther's rule. You must see that! You must see that whatever lies you have been fed are just that, lies!"

"No!" Morgana shouted, physically pushing Gwen back as she rebelled against her words. Gwen stumbled but managed to keep her footing as she turned back to Morgana. "You're just trying to trick me! Everything you say is a lie, I know the truth!"

"Of course you do, sister." Morgause said from the doorway having heard Morgana's shout. "They all lie, that is all they do, and we suffer for it." Morgana nodded her head in agreement and Gwen felt tears form seeing how her friend was manipulated.

"No, Morgana you know us, you know that's not true!

"Do not heed her words, sister. They are nothing but lies I assure you. And now it won't be long until they meet their end." Morgause put an arm around Morgana and led her outside.

"No! Morgana, please!" Gwen cried after them but was ignored, left once again on her own.

 **oo00oo00oo**

For such a large dragon, Kilgharrah flew very silently. They found the Saxons' encampment within very little time and took them by surprise. Arthur very much wanted to have Kilgharrah rain fire down on them from above, but without knowing exactly where Gwen was being held he didn't dare. It wasn't long, however, before they figured out where she was, for those Saxons who did not run for their lives upon seeing the dragon converged around the old cottage. As they got closer, the three men could see two women step forward and raise their hands, using magic to try and stop their approach. However, Merlin was ready for them and it wasn't difficult to stop their assault. Arthur was vaguely aware that one of the women was Morgana but was more intent on rescuing his wife and so seeing Merlin had the magic users well in hand he was paying more attention to those who surrounded where his wife was being kept. When Kilgharrah flew low enough to the ground Arthur and Leon jumped off his back and immediately begun cutting their way through all who stood in the path to Gwen, though admittedly there weren't many left.

"Arthur!" Gwen cried when she saw her husband enter the cottage. Seeing her, Arthur sheathed his sword and ran to her, pulling her to him while Leon dealt with the few Saxons that remained.

"Sweetheart are you alright?" He demanded while looking her over for injuries. "Is the babe alright?"

"I'm alright. We're both alright." She assured him though Arthur still insisted on discovering the truth for himself. Once satisfied that his wife and child were unharmed, Arthur led her outside to see that Merlin and Leon had things well in hand.

"Most of the Saxons ran when they saw Kilgharrah." Sir Leon informed his King. Arthur was not surprised by this, dragons were thought to be extinct though were known to have been incredibly powerful and difficult to defeat; it was unsurprising that the Saxons did not wish to tangle with one. "Mordred escaped with them, as did the one called Morgause." Arthur nodded and looked over those who remained and saw that they were all young, no more than children, and clearly none were in charge; Arthur suspected they'd only been following orders to remain and fight while Mordred and their commanders escaped.

"Let them go." He said, unwilling to be the killer of children. "Though know your lives are forfeit should you ever return to Camelot, or come within a hundred leagues of our Queen ever again." The Saxons nodded and ran off once released from Merlin's magic, which he'd used to bind all those who remained. With no other matters to postpone the inevitable, Arthur then turned to Morgana. He tried to look nothing but the formidable King he was in battle, though looking at the woman he'd called sister for most of his life, he could not quite manage it.

"Why, Morgana?" Was the first thing he said to her, much as Gwen had. Morgana said nothing and merely glared at Arthur so Gwen stepped in.

"She said we never loved her. She's convinced that you're no better than Uther and all you'll bring to Camelot is pain and suffering. I think she's bewitched." She addressed Merlin when she said this. "Nothing she says makes any sense, especially given everything we've shared over the years, but she's convinced it's the truth." Merlin nodded and said a few words, his eyes glowing gold briefly and a wind was felt as it surrounded Morgana. When it disappeared, Merlin looked no happier than he had before and Gwen felt her hopes disappearing.

"She is under no spell." He said. "If her mind or her memories have somehow been tampered with it is not with magic."

"Nothing has been tampered with!" Morgana spat out. "I merely know the truth now, I am no longer blind to all the harm you cause!"

"Morgana-"

"No! I don't want to hear any more of your lies. Just get on with whatever you are going to do to me." Arthur merely looked at her for a moment, knowing she expected him to kill her, but not being able to do so not matter the circumstances.

"Leave." He muttered. "You are banished from Camelot."

"I would caution against this course of action, Arthur Pendragon." Kilgharrah said from nearby where he had landed. "The Witch is too dangerous to be kept alive."

"Her magic is quite weak." Merlin spoke up. "The assault came mainly from this Morgause and I do not sense great power in her." Like Arthur, Merlin could not fathom killing his friend.

"Do not allow your former friendship to cloud you senses, or your judgement, young warlock. You ignored my warnings once before and it has led to this. Leaving her alive only invites death and destruction to Albion. And there are ways to hide one's magic as you well know." Merlin could not deny that last bit for he had indeed hid his magic all his life until only recently, and it was not only from Uther he had had to hide it but other magic users who could sense the magic in him as he could them. Merlin looked to Arthur, conveying to him his acceptance that The Great Dragon was right that Morgana could be more powerful than he thought.

"I cannot kill her, I won't." Arthur said with little hesitation. "However, as you have said your warnings were ignored once before and I agree they should not be ignored again. She will return to the castle with us and will remain in our keeping till the end of her days. Merlin, you will find some way to block her magic." Arthur had no idea if that was even possible but his tone brooked no argument, a way would have to be found.

"What if Morgause or the Saxons come for her, Sire?" Sir Leon said. He did not like the thought of killing Morgana, but aside from Kilgharrah he was the only one thinking clearly. "Having her in the castle could be dangerous and leave us vulnerable to an assault."

"An assault won't be necessary." A voice spoke and all those present turned to see Morgause. She stood alone but showed no signs of fear or concern that she was outnumbered. Arthur moved swiftly and pushed Gwen behind him as he and Leon drew their swords, preparing to fight. "Those won't be necessary either." She said and with a wave of her hand the two swords went flying, landing several feet away. Merlin chose that moment to try and counter with his own magic but Morgause had obviously been prepared, for it did no good. While blocking Merlin's magic, she waved her hand again and the magic binding Morgana lifted, allowing her to scramble to her feet and retreat to be beside Morgause. "I did not return to fight you, Emrys, I merely came for my sister. And now we will leave you." Although he tried, Merlin was unable to stop their retreat and both Morgause and Morgana disappeared.

"Now what?" Sir Leon asked as he retrieved both swords, returning Arthur's to him. "Do we go after them?"

"No." Arthur said as he sheathed his sword once more. "We have no idea where they are and there is no army with us. We return to the castle."

"But what of Morgana?"

"We know of her treachery and will treat her accordingly should she ever return." Arthur insisted. "Let us hope it does not come to that." He murmured for Gwen's ears only and she knew that like her, Arthur did not think he could kill Morgana, even if she returned with a Saxon army at her back. "I do not even understand how it came to this. Why would she betray us? I know what reasons she gave, but how did she even come to believe them herself? Are you certain she is not under any spell, Merlin?"

"Quite certain, Sire. The only magic I felt within her was her own."

"Which brings me to another question: she has _magic_? You were not able to hide your magic from me for very long, how on earth did Morgana? Did you know she had magic?" Arthur demanded of his Court Mage.

"No, My Lord, I had no idea. As Kilgharrah said there are ways to hide one's magic."

"Alright so she has magic. I can accept that." The King said slowly. "What I still do not understand is why she betrayed us, and how she came to the beliefs she has."

"Perhaps they messed with her mind while she was in the Saxons' care." Leon suggested.

"No, we've already established she's not under a spell."

"There are more way than one to alter a person's mind, King Arthur." The Great Dragon spoke up. "Ways that do not include the use of magic."

"Then she was tortured into insanity?" He guessed. "If that is true then she is not in her right mind and cannot be held accountable for her actions."

"I do not believe so. The Witch has always been a threat to you and to Camelot; she has always had the potential for betrayal inside her. I do not sense insanity within her, but rather that her potential for betrayal has been exploited; the Witch betrayed you of her own free will."

"And you do not believe there to be another possibility?" Arthur asked, all but begging for another reason.

"She says she's of Uther's blood." Gwen spoke up, remembering when Morgana had confessed to being Uther's bastard.

"What?" Arthur asked.

"She said that Uther is her father. That she is his bastard that he never claimed."

"So she believes that she has a right to the throne?" Leon asked.

"Perhaps. But I still cannot find reason within her betrayal." Arthur said. "The fact remains though that she has betrayed us, and let us say no more on the subject for now. Come, let us return to the castle."

 **oo00oo00oo**

Merlin let himself into the royal chambers early the following morning. He'd received a summons from Arthur over an hour ago when the sun had not yet risen. However, by the tone of voice of the servant who had brought the summons, he knew whatever it was could not be urgent and so had dragged his feet to annoy Arthur for pulling him out of bed so early. Apparently though he had taken too long for when he entered the antechamber it was to see Arthur fast asleep at the table by the hearth.

"Arthur." He said quietly, noticing also that the door leading to the royal bedchamber was ajar and Gwen could be seen sleeping within. "Arthur." He shook The King's shoulder and Arthur abruptly came awake, muttering incoherently as he tried to orient himself.

"There you are, Merlin." Arthur whispered. "Next time I summon you it shall be with a bucket of water to waken you if this is how long it takes for you to get here."

"Well maybe if you waited until a decent hour, like when the sun is up, then I wouldn't have taken so long.

"I am The King of Camelot, Merlin, and you will answer any summons I give you promptly no matter what time of day or night."

"Oh, well you're in a good mood, somebody obviously got up on the wrong side of the table." Merlin laughed at his own joke, while Arthur stared at him blankly. "Wrong side of the bed, but you slept on the table…"

"That is extremely clever and funny, Merlin, there really are no limits to your wit." He deadpanned in a whisper. "Now will you shut up? I don't want to wake Gwen."

"Why don't we close the door then?" Merlin suggested, moving to do just that. "You see, if there's a barrier sound doesn't travel as well, then we won't have to be so quiet."

"No!" Arthur called sharply while still trying to keep his voice down. Both men froze momentarily when movement was heard in the other room, though they thankfully saw that Gwen was merely turning over, not waking. "Will you just get back here and sit down?"

"Why don't you want to close the door?" Merlin asked when he did as instructed.

"I…" Arthur began though it took a moment for him to get it out. "I know you'll never let me hear the end of it, but I don't want her out of my sight right now. Not after yesterday." All joking vanished from Merlin's face and he answered quite sincerely.

"I would never mock your love and concern for her. Not when everyone in Camelot feels the same way. We'd all die for her."

"Someone already has." Arthur muttered.

"Elyan is greatly missed." Merlin said. "He was a good friend, and a great knight. He was so proud to wear the Pendragon sigil, and no doubt was honoured to not only die for his Queen, but also for a women he loved as a sister."

"The manner of death is irrelevant when the fact remains that he is gone."

"No." Merlin disagreed. "How can you say that, Arthur, when as a knight yourself you know the code you all live by? If a knight cannot live to die of old age-"

"Then the only death he can accept is an honourable one." Arthur finished. "I know you are right, Merlin, but that does not stop the fact that Elyan is dead, and it is all my fault."

"Not yours. Morgana's." Arthur was silent, the betrayal of the woman he had called sister far too fresh in his mind to discuss her.

"This is not why I called you here."

"Then why did you?" Merlin let the subject drop, it bringing him pain as it did Arthur, though Merlin knew that they could not avoid the subject forever.

"It was something the dragon, Kilgharrah, said yesterday. I was too concerned with saving Gwen at the time to give it any thought but now…" Merlin leaned back in his chair with a sigh. "You know. You know what he was talking about." If Arthur had had any doubts before that Merlin knew more than he let on about things the doubt was gone. "Tell me. Why did the dragon call me The Once and Future King?"

"Because that is who you are, Arthur." Merlin answered after a moment, and continued when Arthur waited silently for an explanation. "The ancient prophecies that name Emrys, they also speak of The Once and Future King. This King will bring forth an age of peace that has never before been seen, nor will be seen again until he rises once more. That is why he is called The Once and _Future_ King. The prophecies foretell that when peace is greatly needed in the land, The Once and Future King will reign once more and his second reign will be as peaceful as the first."

"We are at war, Merlin." Arthur reminded him. "How can I possibly be this prophesized king of peace when we are at war?"

"The era of peace merely has not arrived yet. That is where I come in." He admitted.

"What do you mean?"

"The prophecy of Emrys, The Immortal Mage, and The Once and Future King are bound together. It is said that only with the help of Emrys can The Once and Future King achieve the peace he strives for. It is my destiny, Arthur, to help you become the great king you are meant to be. I suppose that is why Emrys is called The Immortal Mage. He, I, will be there when The Once and Future King, you, rises once more. However many years, decades, or hundreds of years from now that may be." Arthur stared unseeing at the table not sure if he believed what he was hearing.

"Perhaps you cannot see it, Arthur, but I can." A soft voice said from across the room.

"Guinevere." Arthur jumped up and went over to his wife. "You should be resting."

"How can I possibly rest when something as important as this is being discussed? Quite loudly, by the way." She added and laughed quietly when Arthur sent a glare at Merlin. "Arthur," She brought his attention back to her. "You are destined for great things. I have never once doubted that. But you will achieve great things because of you and you alone, Arthur, not because of any ancient prophecy. Being this Once and Future King changes nothing save that now you know that even before you were born people knew you were destined for great things." Arthur smiled softly and clasped Gwen's hands in his, bringing them to his lips.

"You always know exactly what to say, sweetheart." He said. "Though I will contradict you on one thing. It will not be me alone who achieves great things, as you say, but us. You, Merlin, Leon, Percival, Gaius, the people of Camelot…anything I achieve will be because you all stand by my side and believe in me. I could do none of it without you." Gwen smiled up at her husband knowing he meant every word.

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 **A/N - I don't have a better explanation for Morgana's betrayal. Like in the show her time while she was held captive, or missing, changed her way of thinking and she returned convinced that Arthur is just as bad as Uther, that the throne is rightfully hers, etc. Unlike in the show she doesn't have the excuse here that magic is still banned, but she's still convinced the throne should be hers and that Arthur doesn't deserve to be King. It's just one of those things that when you think about it it really doesn't make any sense, and yet people still believe it.**


	7. The Call to Arms

_Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.  
_

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 **Chapter 7 – The Call to Arms**

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The following weeks were hard on all in Camelot. Word of the Lady Morgana's betrayal spread even faster than news of The Queen's pregnancy and it was not just those closest to her who were devastated for Morgana had been loved by all. Time passed and the war with the Saxons grew. After having escaped with Morgause, Morgana had returned to the Saxons and alongside her sister was aiding Mordred in his quest to conquer Britain. But it wasn't Mordred or the Saxons who were causing trouble. Both Morgana and Morgause had developed a talent for creating illusions and were using them to wreak havoc across Camelot. It started when Morgana found a way to capture Merlin. Kilgharrah had been right that she had concealed her power and so Merlin had not been prepared for the powerful magical assault that knocked him out. He awoke not far from the castle surrounded by Saxons and magically bound to a tree. It took some time to free himself from Morgana's magic, but once he did the Saxons were quickly dealt with and he returned to the castle in time to stop Morgana from reaching the vaults, or rather to stop himself. Morgana had disguised herself as him and used the trust The King had in Merlin to enter the vaults where the plans for the castle were kept. Thankfully Merlin was able to stop her from leaving with the plans, but the damage had been done, the seeds of doubt sowed by the knowledge that Morgana could become anyone she wanted had been planted and the entire castle was on edge, wondering if Morgana walked among them. It did not end there, however, as reports quickly began to stream in from all around the kingdom of similar ruses.

"They're trying to divide us." Merlin said at a council meeting that had been called specifically to deal with this latest threat. "They want to sow discord so no one feels they can trust anyone else." Morgana and Morgause's ruses were not limited to just them, but to others they used their magic on to turn Saxons into villagers or people at court. The infiltrators then used their guise to ferret out secrets or even to take the lives of Camelot's people who died at the hands of their friends or family, or at least so they thought. It had gotten to the point where no one trusted even those closest to them, fearful as they were that it was not truly their brother or sister but a Saxon in disguise.

"How can we stop them?" Arthur asked. "If we don't stop their illusions Morgana and Morgause will soon destroy Camelot, which will destroy Albion. If this continues the rest of Albion will not trust us and there can be no alliance without trust."

"I may have a way." Merlin said. "But we will need to enlist the help of sorcerers throughout Camelot. And it is not foolproof."

"Since when are your plans ever foolproof, Merlin?" Arthur quipped earning a glare from his wife.

"What is your plan, Merlin?" She asked when Arthur backed down. Her pregnancy was not terribly far along, snow had yet to fall and the midwife said not to expect the babe until the spring, but still Arthur had discovered it was best to let her have her way wherever possible.

"There is an enchantment that negates any form of magical concealment. If magic is being used to hide something or change something, or someone, into what they are not the enchantment will break the spell, revealing the truth."

"That…actually sounds quite perfect." Arthur admitted suspiciously. "So what is the catch?"

"The enchantment must be maintained, and it only covers a limited area, the size of which is determined by the power of the caster."

"Meaning?" Percival asked.

"Meaning I could easily cast an enchantment that covers not only the castle but the surrounding town, but a less powerful sorcerer might have trouble shielding even the smallest village."

"How modest he is." Arthur mumbled, earning himself another glare.

"So what do you propose then?" Leon asked.

"Since the ban was lifted sorcerers of all sorts have come out of hiding, and many of those who fled Camelot during the purges are returning. By my estimation there are very few villages that do not have some form of magic user living in the village or nearby. I suggest we recruit them, have them cast the enchantment in their village. I can travel to each village to ensure they are trustworthy and help them initially cast the enchantment which will give it extra strength."

"Merlin, have you any idea how many villages there are in Camelot?"

"Many, I know." The Court Mage ignored The King's condescension. "It will take time but it can be done."

"Before winter?" Gwen asked. "You cannot travel once the snow falls, it is too dangerous."

"Ah…" Apparently he had forgotten that winter was nearly upon them.

"If I may, Sire?" Gaius spoke up.

"Of course, Gaius."

"Perhaps the Druids could be of assistance in this matter. Their loyalty to Emrys runs deep, and many have become quite good friends, have they not Merlin?"

"He's right. I hadn't thought of that. Thank you, Gaius."

"So what exactly is the plan now?" Arthur asked with a sigh, wanting this meeting over with.

"I shall ask some Druids whom I know I can trust to help. We shall split up and each travel to different villages throughout the kingdom, with more then one of us it should not take that long to visit every village in Camelot. Besides that the plan is the same."

"Good, it's settled then." Merlin's plan did work out quite well and Arthur could not help but be impressed. Once the enchantment was cast, Morgana and Morgause's magic failed anytime one of their disguised Saxons entered a populated area and were quickly caught. As Merlin had said it was not foolproof, it did not protect those travelling between villages and it made those sorcerers who cast the enchantment a target, for if they were gone, the enchantment failed. Even still, with the enchantment in place, it wasn't long before Morgana and Morgause's trickery stopped. Reprisals for the few times the Saxons had killed a village's sorcerer were swift and merciless, and any attacks outside a populated area did not cause the same damage and so the two sorceresses deemed it not worthwhile to continue expending their magic thus. It was a small victory considering the war still waged but nevertheless it was an important one and the people of Camelot celebrated, while Arthur and Merlin were congratulated for their swift action and the people saw that they were truly being looked after. They should have known, however, that their victory would not go uncontested. As the first flakes of snow fell, Camelot settled in, glad for the reprieve the coming winter brought them, for it was suicide to attempt an attack while the weather was so harsh and supplies were short; any good strategist knew that mounting a campaign in winter was akin to killing your own army for they'd die of starvation and cold long before they would even have a chance to die in battle. And so it was quite the surprise when one day, when snow was piling up, did Aithusa arrive at the castle with news for Merlin of an impending attack.

"Why can't we understand her?" Arthur asked when Merlin rushed over. The Dragonlord had been keeping tabs on the young dragon, ensuring she got into no more mischief then she already had, but otherwise he let her be. Aithusa had joined up with Kilgharrah, as the only other one of her kind left, but unlike The Great Dragon who only came when summoned or in the rare instances he decided to share something he'd seen of the future, Aithusa felt she owed a debt to Merlin and so helped him of her own free will wherever she could.

"She's a dragon." Merlin said as if it was obvious.

"Yes, but so is the other one, Kilgharrah right? We could understand him."

"That's because he's The Great Dragon. Even before dragons were hunted to near extinction he was the oldest and most powerful. His powers allow him to communicate with others besides other dragons and Dragonlords. But that's not important." Merlin insisted and he returned to the task at hand. "She says that Morgana and Morgause are leading a Saxon army against us. Mordred is with them as well."

"What? Now? In winter?" Sir Percival demanded, this lack of care for the men who made up an army being unfathomable to him.

"Yes. And she says they're not far away, they'll be within Camelot's borders before nightfall."

"An army could destroy a border village within a matter of minutes." Sir Leon said.

"Then we must take the battle to them before they reach Camelot. We leave in one hour." The Knights did not hesitate once Arthur had made his decision and went to call the men to arms.

"You're going to need me with Morgana and Morgause there." Merlin said as he and Arthur went back inside the castle after Merlin had asked Aithusa to stay nearby. Arthur merely nodded and the two walked back to his chambers in silence. Gwen was there sewing clothes for her child with Nan and her maid Sefa when they arrived, though she quickly put the sewing down when she saw the look on Arthur's face.

"What has happened?"

"The Saxons are nearly upon us." Arthur informed his wife. "They are trying to take us by surprise with an attack in winter."

"I take it you are leaving then." It wasn't a question for Arthur always led his men into battle.

"I must." He replied and seeing the fear in her eyes that was there every time he went to fight he smiled softly and pulled her into his arms. "Sweetheart I will return, I promise you. Never fear."

"Don't make promises you can't keep." She murmured into his chest where she'd buried her face to hide her tears. Merlin, Nan and Sefa all turned their backs, giving their monarchs a semblance of privacy.

"I never do. But I will return to you, Guinevere."

"I know you will do all you can to return to me."

"I will. And while I'm gone I want you to rest. You are not to worry about me, but rather take care of yourself and our child." His hand went to cover the small bulge of her belly where their child lay. Gwen's pregnancy had recently begun to show and he took great delight in it.

"I shall ensure she does, Sire." Nan said with her back still turned.

"I know you will, Nan. And I thank you for it." With that acknowledgement the moment of privacy was over and the others turned back around.

"I shall fetch your armour." Merlin said not seeing Arthur's new manservant around and easily falling back into the role himself.

"That won't be necessary, Your Excellency." A voice said from the side of the room. Merlin groaned inwardly. He should have known that George, the new manservant, was always nearby and like a good servant was practically invisible until needed. "His Majesty's armour is already here, polished and ready to go."

"Thank you George." Arthur said and the manservant swiftly moved with practiced ease to help his master dress.

"'Thank you?'" Merlin asked, his indignation showing. "You never thanked me and I served you practically all our lives!"

"Yes, well maybe that has something to do with George being possibly the most efficient servant I have ever seen. You, on the other hand, were in the running for the most inefficient idiot to ever walk these halls."

"Oh yeah? If I was so bad why did you keep me around for so long then?"

"Because you were stupid enough to always fall for my pranks."

"Try no one was stupid enough to fall for those disastrous attempts at pranks, but I did so to make you feel better."

"Oh please! You fell for them every single time and-"

"Boys!" Gwen cried, she and the other occupants of the room having watched the banter with amusement. "Do I need to call the nurse and have you both sent to bed with no supper?"

"No." They both grumbled together and Gwen was satisfied that their argument had been cut off before they started yelling at each other. Once George had finished helping Arthur into his armour, he and Merlin departed for the courtyard where the Knights waited accompanied by Gwen, who insisted on seeing them off.

"Go with God, and ride swiftly to save our people." Gwen said by way of goodbye as she and Arthur paused on the steps.

"I will return before I've been gone long enough for you to miss me." He replied, bending to give her a kiss, that lingered perhaps a bit too long for they were interrupted.

"It is time, Sire." Leon said having come half way up the stairs with Percival not far behind him.

"And so it is." Arthur said, giving Gwen's hand one last comforting squeeze.

"Return him to me safely, Sir Leon." Gwen instructed. "And do try to see that Merlin does not get into too much trouble." She added seeing Merlin stumble in his attempt to mount his horse.

"Neither shall be easy, Your Grace, for they never make it so." Leon laughed. "But with Percival by my side we shall do all we can."

"That is all I can ask. Except for the two of you to return safely as well." Leon and Percival smiled at their Queen and bowed before departing. Gwen followed them as far as the entrance to the balcony that overlooked the courtyard where she watched as they departed, waving farewell to her husband and hoping it would not be the last time she saw him. Once the last of the men had departed the gates, Gwen slowly returned to her chambers being met by Nan and Sefa.

"Oh, honey." Nan said, holding out her arms and allowing Gwen to cry on her shoulder. "The King will return to you, he always does."

"I know he will try, Nan, but I fear his luck will run out."

"Now Gwen, you know how capable Arthur is, his success in battle is far from merely luck."

"I know, but the fear is still there."

"Of course it is. He's your husband and the entire kingdom knows how you love him."

"I do, Nan, I love him with all my heart."

"Then have faith he will return." Gwen nodded as her tears subsided.

"I apologize, Nan. I do not know what came over me."

"You worry for the man you love, it is normal. And the babe in your belly does not help, women are known to be weepy while with child."

"Then we shall write it off as the babe's doing and leave it at that. Neither Arthur nor Merlin will let me forget it if they learn I broke down like this." The rest of the evening was spent sequestered in her chambers with Nan and her ladies, all of whom were busy working on a wardrobe fit for a prince. Gwen went to bed alone that night and like every time Arthur was away she did not sleep well and so was still asleep mid-morning when Nan and Sefa rushed in to wake her up.

"What is it?" She asked as Nan drew the curtains to allow light in and Sefa rushed to her wardrobe, returning with the first dress she could grab.

"King Rodor and Princess Mithian of Nemeth are here, Your Majesty." Sefa informed her.

"I take it this is not an official visit."

"Indeed not." Nan said. "They arrived with but two guards between them, no servants, no luggage, and only two horses which they said were not theirs but borrowed from a village along the way."

"Has anyone seen to their comfort?"

"Hunith has handled that, Your Grace. She saw them to guest chambers and had baths drawn and food served."

"Good. Sefa, find something of mine we can lend Mithian to wear, and see if anything of Uther's remains that King Rodor can borrow. I'll receive them in the presence chamber when they are ready." Sefa bowed and went to do as instructed, leaving Nan to finish helping Gwen dress. Once ready for the day Gwen went immediately to the presence chamber off the throne room where smaller, more private and less formal meetings were held. She did not have to wait long before the doors opened and the guards led their guests in.

"King Rodor, Princess Mithian, you are both most welcome here." She greeted, holding out her hands to her friends and Camelot's allies. King Rodor kissed Gwen's hand before stepping aside and allowing the women to hug. Mithian was of a similar age of Gwen and as her kingdom of Nemeth was a member of Albion both women had seen each other rather frequently growing up. "Come sit, and tell me what has happened."

"The Saxon's happened." Rodor ground out, accepting the goblet of wine a servant brought over. "They marched through Nemeth in numbers we were unprepared for, with powerful magic on their side."

"Morgana." Gwen sighed.

"And another." Mithian added. "A women with fair hair and complexion, though dark eyes."

"Morgause. She leads the Saxon's alongside Mordred, and now Morgana as well. She and Morgana are sisters by their mother."

"Yes, well whoever she is, our own sorcerers were no match for her and Morgana. They sacked the city and the castle, as well as many villages in their path. They intended to use my daughter and I as hostages against Arthur and Camelot. By the Alliance of Albion Arthur would be mandated to do all he could to come to our aid."

"Which he would do anyways." Mithian defended, knowing Arthur would do all he could because it was the right thing to do, not merely because the Alliance his ancestors had signed decreed it. "And already has. Along with a small contingent of guards we managed to escape and made our way for Camelot. Only two of our men remained when Arthur and his Knights came upon us near the border. He saw father and I to the nearest village and saw to it that we had horses to get us the rest of the way here. He promised sanctuary for us and our people within Camelot."

"And you shall have it. You both are welcome here as long as you like, and your people as well."

"You are very kind, Queen Guinevere, and all of Nemeth is in Camelot's debt." Rodor said formally, though Gwen shook her head.

"No, no debt. Friends help each other. That is what Nemeth is to Camelot, and what you are to me."

"Thank you, Gwen." Said Mithian. "Arthur said he intended to fight the Saxons, that he had received word they were marching on Camelot and that is why he was out there."

"Yes, it is true. They will do all they can to defeat the Saxons and restore Nemeth to you."

"We are very grateful for your help." Gwen merely smiled before changing the topic.

"What about your people? Will they come to the castle?"

"We believe so." Rodor said. "They will know that the average village will not have the necessary supplies to support them and so will come here, unless a noble house agrees to shelter them."

"If their path crosses a noble house it is likely they will receive aid there, our nobles are good and kind, Arthur has seen to that. For now we must prepare for those who make it to the castle. Given the army that bears down upon us I cannot send men to search for your people as I would like, for Arthur has taken most of them with him. But once inside Camelot's borders they should be safe. Arthur is keeping the Saxons busy so they should not be bothered by them and our people will help them reach the castle." Gwen stood being followed by Rodor and Mithian. "You both should rest, you've been through a terrible ordeal. I will see to the preparations for your people."

"Father should rest, but I will not." Mithian countered. "These are my people and I will do what I can to help them."

"And I will not?" Rodor asked his daughter.

"Father you know your health has not been the best as of late." Mithian implored. "Please retire now so that you may be well rested to greet our people when they arrive."

"I will send Gaius, our Court Physician, to you, Your Grace." Gwen said. "There is no one better." Although he was prepared to decline, not liking being sent to his room like a child, he saw the pleading and determined look in his daughter's eyes and sighed in resignation.

"You are so like your mother." He mumbled, remembering his late wife. "She had that same look in her eyes whenever she was readying for a fight. I learned quickly that there was no winning against her when she had that look."

"Then you know you will not win this argument either." Mithian said, quite pleased. "Rest, father. We shall see you soon." Rodor nodded and with a goodbye to Gwen he returned to the room he'd been given.

"Come." Gwen said, linking her arm through Mithian's and leading her to the door. "We shall find Hunith, our Housekeeper, and prepare for your people's arrival."


	8. The Lady of the Lake

_Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.  
_

* * *

 **Chapter 8 – The Lady of the Lake**

* * *

The first of the refugees from Nemeth began arriving early the following day. Both King Rodor and Princess Mithian were on hand to greet their people who were overjoyed to see that the two had escaped. The castle opened the great hall for those who were injured while every free room in the castle was in use to house those who weren't and more still were housed by those in the city who had the room. Alongside Hunith, Gwen ran the medical centre in the great hall while Rodor and Mithian went to each of their people in turn, bringing them food or drink and ensuring they were alright. Over the following days more Nemethians arrived bringing news of the battle that continued to rage, forcing more to flee their homes. Gwen was at least gratified to hear that although the battle continued, the reports were not against Arthur. A few days after Arthur had left, Sir Leon returned with those who were injured and with a request from The King for supplies.

"It has turned into a siege, My Lady." He informed Gwen once she'd seen that the injured men were taken care of. The Saxons have holed themselves up inside King Rodor's castle."

"Damn Saxons. They'll destroy everything." Rodor swore, he and Mithian being present to hear the report of the battle taking place on their land.

"The King wished me to inform you that he will do all he can to ensure your lands are not too badly damaged." Sir Leon said. "He also offers Emrys' services to rebuild if it comes to that." While Nemeth had its own sorcerers, including those who worked at Rodor's court, Emrys was known to all magic users as the most powerful of them all.

"Merlin must be thrilled about that." Gwen had to chuckle.

"He and The King did start in on each other." Leon admitted with a smile. "It provided some much needed amusement for the men."

"I'm sure it did. What other news do you bring?" Gwen got back on topic.

"Unfortunately not so much news, Your Grace, as a request for supplies. We anticipated a battle, lasting maybe a day or two, not a seize."

"Of course. I shall have Hunith prepare what blankets, food, and medicine we are able to spare. If you have need of anything else do let her know, I fear I know not all that a seize entails."

"Of course, My Lady."

"I will also write our allies. This is their war too, they can provide supplies and men as well."

"I leave at dawn, Your Grace."

"All shall be prepared by then." Gwen and Hunith worked late into the night to ensure that all was ready by morning. Gwen spent the rest of the night writing eight letters, one to each of the seven remaining kingdoms of Albion and one for Arthur, before getting a couple hours of sleep. She was woken early to see Leon and a few more men off.

"Please give this to Arthur." Gwen asked of Leon.

"The King will be most happy to receive it" Leon said. "He has been quite unpleasant since learning he would not return to you as fast as he had hoped."

"While I am sure that is not quite true," Gwen smiled indulgently. "I thank you for saying it all the same."

"Your servant, Your Majesty." Leon said with a smile and a bow as he turned to depart.

"Your Knight is quite familiar with you." Mithian said. "I do not think any of our knights would have dared be so familiar with me. Father would certainly not allow it."

"Well Leon is not just any knight." Gwen said. "He, Sir Percival and Sir Elyan grew up with Arthur. Their fathers were councilmen during Uther's reign so they spent much time here as children, more so when all four began training as knights. When I came to the castle they followed Arthur's lead and brought me into the fold. They treated me like a sister, even though Arthur could not do so, and there was much laughter and joking that we have not allowed to disappear when Arthur and I were crowned King and Queen. I welcome their friendship. You see there?" Gwen pointed to where the Pendragon sigil was carved into stone. "That is a memorial to Sir Elyan. He gave his life saving mine when Morgana first betrayed us. Arthur had it made for his friend instead of merely adding Elyan's name to the long list of lost knights whose names grace the plaque on the wall outside the council chamber. Arthur wanted something else for Elyan for they were truly friends. It was the first time in Camelot's history that a king or prince could call any knight their friend."

"That is very kind of him."

"Elyan was the first man Arthur lost as King. The fact that it was his friend, and one of the First Knights of Camelot, who was lost so soon after his coronation sits heavily with him."

"One of the First Knights?" Mithian was confused for usually there was only one First Knight.

"Yes." Gwen could not help but laugh at the memory. "Camelot's First Knight has always been chosen by his ability to defeat the reigning King in combat. Arthur defeated his father and remained First Knight until Uther's death, but when Arthur was crowned a new First Knight had to be chosen. It just so happened that three men defeated him in combat."

"Sir Elyan, Sir Leon and Sir Percival." Mithian guessed correctly.

"Yes. Having trained together for so long they knew all of Arthur's weaknesses and strengths. It was not an easy win, but win they did. Arthur would not choose between them when all had won the honour, and so he declared them all First Knights of Camelot."

"He is an honourable King. Many would have chosen their favourite, as most kings have one, without any hesitation. He also strives for peace harder than any I have ever seen or heard of."

"He would be humbled to hear you say so." Gwen said as she began to lead the way inside.

"And what of Lord Emrys?" Mithian asked.

"Merlin?"

"Yes. Were he and King Arthur not quite close as children? From what I remember of my visits, Lord Emrys was always following him around. Though I suppose he wasn't known as Emrys then."

"Certainly not. Uther would have had him executed had he known of Merlin's magic."

"I confess I do not remember too much of Lord Emrys beyond noting Arthur was quite fond of him and trusted him above all others."

"Merlin was Arthur's manservant then, it is understandable that a visiting princess does not take much notice of another castle's servants. Though you were quite perceptive to notice as much as you did."

"I'm ashamed I did not notice more." Mithian murmured. "Especially after he saved me from falling down the stairs one time, and from one of Arthur's pranks another time."

"Really?"

"Oh yes. Lord Emrys was quite kind to me, and still I know barely more about him than what has been made public."

"Well, I am certain he would love to make your acquaintance, properly this time, when he and Arthur return."

"I hope you are right. It will be good to see Lord Emrys again. And King Arthur of course." She added a little quickly and Gwen had to hide a knowing smile. It seemed that the Princess of Nemeth had taken a liking to Merlin over the years. Of course she could never admit such, for not only was he not of royal blood and with Mithian the heir to Nemeth she must marry a prince, but he had also once been a manservant; the differences in station would be too much for King Rodor to bear. Besides, Gwen thought, Mithian had not seen Merlin in years and it was entirely possible that she wouldn't like him anymore upon meeting him again. Still there was no harm in a little flirting.

"Well first, you will have to begin calling him Merlin. He may be called Emrys due to him being the prophesized mage, but reminders of his supposed immortality and great power make him quite uncomfortable."

 **oo00oo00oo**

The following weeks were slow as Gwen waited for any word from, or about, Arthur, for her husband rarely wrote himself and she had to make do with a mere mention of him in the reports from Leon, Percival or Merlin that she received every few days. The siege was indeed long, Rodor's castle having been built to withstand just such an event, and when the first snows of winter fell and still the siege held Gwen began to truly worry, especially as her husband, friends, and people were the ones camping in the cold while the Saxons could stay warm in the castle. Both Rodor and Mithian tried to reassure their host, saying that the siege would have to end soon as provisions inside the castle ran out for they had yet to stock up for winter before the attack came, and that undoubtedly Arthur would come away victorious, especially as the missives Gwen had sent to their allies about the Saxon invasion had reached the Kings of Albion who had sent men to aid Arthur. Still, Gwen's worry grew as the snow began to stick to the ground and there was no word of the siege ending. In fact, there was no word at all, and there hadn't been in some time. Usually Gwen could expect a letter to arrive every three days or so, but there had been no word in over a week now. Finally, when Gwen was about ready to set out for Nemeth herself, something none in Camelot would allow her to do, no matter that she was The Queen, did word finally arrive though not in the form of a letter, but rather in the form of one the guards posted as sentry along the road leading to the castle running into the council chambers and informing her that The King and the entire army were less than an hour away.

"If they are all returning it must be over, mustn't it?" She asked, barely believing what she had heard.

"I cannot think of another scenario. Not if it is true that the entire army returns." Rodor said with a smile. Gwen spent the next hour readying the castle for Arthur's return, having rooms prepared for the wounded with people to attend their injuries and Gaius on standby for anything serious, as well as food prepared for all. When the trumpets blared in the courtyard announcing The King's return to the castle as they always did, Gwen ran from the great hall where she was overseeing the set up for the feast and did not stop until she felt her husband's arms wrap around her as she crashed into him.

"Thanks be to God that you are safe." She murmured into his chest where we had buried her head.

"I am glad to be home, but Guinevere what on earth do you think you are doing out here without a cloak?!" He growled taking his own off and draping it over her shoulders. "It is too cold to be out here in your thin dress, especially in your condition!" He chastised.

"After a month away the first thing out of your mouth is to chastise me?" Gwen said, her eyes narrowing.

"When you are out in the bitter cold without a cloak while carrying my child, then yes." He said as he led her back inside, Merlin and his Knights following close behind them. When they entered the great hall Arthur looked for the nearest servant to begin giving orders to take care of the men who had just returned, only to see that things were already well in hand.

"You did all of this in one hour?" Arthur asked his wife sounding quite impressed.

"Don't be so surprised." Gwen replied as she handed him back his cloak. "I was raised to be Queen of Camelot and chatelaine of this castle was I not?"

"Indeed you were." He agreed feeling a weight lift off his shoulders knowing that he could go relax and his men would still be taken care of.

"Now come, husband." Gwen took one of his hands. "I have a bath prepared for you and shall attend you myself. You have been away for far too long."

"As My Lady commands." Arthur replied with a smile as the two left the great hall in favour of their chambers.

 **oo00oo00oo**

There was great joy in Camelot in the week following Arthur's return, and not least of all because they brought news that the Saxon army had been diminished, many Saxons having died, though many more had escaped. However, the news that brought both the most joy and fear was the news that Morgause was dead. With her gone they'd defeated a powerful enemy, though had apparently created an even more powerful one in Morgana who had not taken her sister's death kindly.

"It is only because of Merlin that we survived her attack." Arthur had told Gwen the very night he had returned. "She was so angry, so vengeful, and it lent a great deal of strength to her magic. Merlin was the only one powerful enough to stand up to her."

"Then it is a good thing we have the great Emrys on our side, isn't it?" She said, only half joking. However, Merlin's confidence in his abilities were not as great as Gwen's, as they discovered.

"I want to go to the Lake of Avalon." The warlock announced at breakfast one morning the week following the siege.

"But its winter and isn't the lake in the heart of the White Mountains?" Arthur complained.

"Why do you want to go there, Merlin?" Mithian asked, her and her father joining Arthur, Gwen, and Melin for breakfast. It had been decided that they, and the people of Nemeth, would remain in Camelot for the winter. The Saxons had destroyed much during the march to Camelot, including a good portion of the castle, and most of the stores and crops. It would be a very harsh winter indeed should those who had sought refuge in Camelot if they returned home now and so Arthur and Gwen had offered them a place to stay for the winter. Rodor had agreed for the sake of his people, but only under the condition that he send men to retrieve those stores of food and resources that the Saxons hadn't touched so he and his people wouldn't be quite as big a burden. Arthur had said it wasn't necessary but still graciously accepted the supplies knowing Rodor's pride could demand no less.

"I want to go see The Lady of the Lake." Merlin answered, smiling at Nemeth's Princess. Since Gwen had subtly encouraged Mithian into flirting with Merlin upon his return a week ago the young princess had not stopped, and Merlin too had joined in. Their flirtation was not blatant nor in any manner inappropriate, in fact it was so subtle Gwen didn't think either Rodor or Arthur saw it, but it was enough for Gwen to know that whatever feelings Mithian had developed for Merlin all those years ago had not vanished, and she only hoped that they did not develop further into something the future Queen of Nemeth could not act upon.

"Who is this Lady of the Lake?" Arthur asked.

"She is a powerful sorceress, quite possibly the most powerful sorceress to ever exist."

"But is that not you? I thought the ancient prophecies said that Emrys, you, were to be the most powerful." Mithian said.

" 'To be' being the operative words, and only if the prophecies are true." Merlin explained. "Not even I can deny that my power is great, but it is practically nothing compared to The Lady's power. She is also a seer, much like Kilgharrah, though her visions are said to be absolute. Kilgharrah sees possible futures, and often only glimpses or blurred images, but it is said that The Lady sees the future as clearly as she sees the present."

"And you want her to tell you of the future?" Gwen asked.

"I want to ask for her help. No doubt Morgana will as well, especially now with Morgause gone she will be looking for another magical ally, and the one who gains the aid of The Lady of the Lake has almost certainly won the war."

"Well why didn't you say so before?" Arthur exclaimed. "If gaining her assistance means winning this war and bringing peace then I will fall to my knees and beg if I have to!"

"It might not be that simple." Merlin cautioned. "The Lady is an ancient being who has lived on the Isle of the Blessed as far back as anyone can remember. However, when Uther outlawed magic she banished herself to the bottom of Avalon's lake, which in the White Mountains is within Camelot's borders, and swore to not return until magic was once again welcome in Camelot, in her home."

"She must hate me then." Arthur muttered.

"I would never presume to tell you what The Lady thinks, I merely warn you that she may not be receptive to a Pendragon. That being said, she is very wise and will know you returned magic to Camelot."

"Right. Well, we'll leave at dawn tomorrow." Arthur said with sigh. "Won't be the first time I've rushed into a place where my welcome isn't certain."

 **oo00oo00oo**

"Arthur I want to come with you." Gwen said the next morning as she joined her husband and Merlin in the courtyard where they prepared for their journey.

"Out of the question." Came his immediate, and expected, reply. "It is the middle of winter, we are going high into the mountains where it is even colder, we don't know how long we will be gone, and you should not be travelling in your condition."

"Firstly, winter has only just started, we are not in the middle of it, Yuletide is still a month away." She countered. "Secondly the cold does not bother me, and third I am not that far along, Arthur, I am barely showing."

"Regardless, no."

"Please." She asked sincerely. "Have I ever asked to join you on one of your adventures? I know most of the time I would only get in the way, but we are staying within Camelot's borders and travelling to meet a sorceress, not fight an army." Arthur paused in ensuring his saddlebags were attached properly and looked to his wife, seeing a hint of desperation in her eyes.

"What is it, sweetheart?" He murmured, cupping her face between his hands. "Why do you wish to come so desperately?"

"I'm not entirely sure." She admitted. "This is our future you are hoping to learn about, Arthur. _Ours_. And with everything going on, the war, Morgana, our child…my instincts tell me I need to be there." Arthur sighed unsure what to do. Gwen had never been one to tag along or make demands in regards to matters such as these, and the fact that she was sincerely asking made him want to agree, though he knew he could not, for although she may be right, the journey would be a difficult one and he would not put her or their unborn child at risk.

"Perhaps I can take you to see The Lady in the spring, when the snow's melted and our child is born." He said, hoping to compromise.

"Arthur-"

"Is the only reason you deny her because of the journey?" Merlin asked from where he'd been seemingly minding his own business though in truth was listening intently.

"Yes…" Arthur said hesitantly.

"What if I could have us there and back in a day and there was no hard riding?"

"Do I want to know how you'd accomplish that?"

"Follow me and find out." They did just that after Arthur sent for another cloak, a hat and gloves for Gwen, determined to keep her warm. They arrived at the clearing where Merlin had previously summoned the dragon, and before Arthur could convince himself that there was no way he would summon a dragon again, he was proved wrong.

" _Dragon! Imala! Sungente gumenta! Keshophanekes, Aithusa!"_ The Dragonlord called to the sky, summoning his soul brother, or in this case, sister. The white dragon that had not long ago terrorized Camelot appeared but a few minutes later, bowing her head to Merlin with what Arthur could have sworn was a smile.

"Aithusa wouldn't mind giving us a lift." Merlin said after he silently conversed with the dragon through their shared soul. Neither Arthur nor Gwen fought it and came forward at Merlin's beckoning to mount the dragon, Arthur settling himself behind Gwen and ensuring he had a good grip on her. With Aithusa's great wings taking them at a much faster and much more direct route to the mountains it was not long at all before they touched down at the Lake of Avalon, on the Isle of the Blessed.

"Do you intend to make a habit of this, young warlock?" A voice said and the three humans turned to see The Great Dragon sitting calmly off to the side. "A dragon is not a horse, we are not meant to be ridden or used as pack mules."

"It is my fault I am afraid." Gwen spoke up refusing to allow Merlin to take the blame. "I asked to come and Merlin felt this was the only way Arthur would let me."

"Besides, Aithusa doesn't mind the odd request for a lift, and I did give her a choice, it was not an order." Merlin added. "And no, I won't be making a habit of it."

"Aithusa feels indebted to you for sparing her all those months ago. There is little she would not do if you asked." Merlin ignored Kilgharrah for the moment and turned to Aithusa, speaking to her once again before turning back to the other dragon.

"She does not deny that, but she also knows she has a choice." He reported for although Aithusa and Kilgharrah could understand each other, when a Dragonlord spoke directly into the soul of a dragon their words were for that dragon's ears only. "She's my friend, she knows I would help in any way I can should she ask, as I hope you do as well."

"Hmm." Kilgharrah hummed noncommittally though he certainly didn't deny Merlin's statement. "Just know you will not be 'getting a lift' from me unless under the most direst of circumstances."

"I consider myself warned." Merlin said trying not to laugh and managing an ill-concealed smile. Kilgharrah said nothing else and so Merlin motioned for Gwen and Arthur to follow him to the lake's edge.

"Now what?" Arthur asked.

"Now I find a way to ask The Lady for an audience. I'm just not entirely sure how…" Merlin admitted.

"That will not be necessary." A voice spoke, seeming to come from every direction. The three looked around for the source of the voice and found their eyes drawn to a light emanating from below the water's surface. As the light grew brighter the water began to bubble and ripple until a small ball of light pierced the surface. It hovered there for a few moments before shinning brightly and expanding to form the shape of the woman who continued to emit a soft glow. "I have been expecting you, Emrys."

"My Lady." Merlin said with a short bow. "No doubt you know why we are here."

"Indeed. But will you not introduce me to your friends first?"

"Of course, forgive me. My Lady, this is King Arthur, and Queen Guinevere of Camelot."

"The Once and Future King." The Lady murmured.

"Dear Lady." Arthur spoke. "I must apologize for all you have suffered under my father's-" The Lady of the Lake held up her hand to silence him.

"You are not your father, Arthur Pendragon. You have proved that time and time again even before taking the throne. You owe me no apology." She said softly before turning to Gwen. "I am glad to see both you and your husband heeded your instincts, Guinevere Pendragon."

"How did you…?" Gwen asked, confused.

"I admit the feeling you had was my doing. I wished you would come as well, though would not force the issue, and so hoped a little push would do the trick."

"But why did you want me to come?"

"I wished to meet The Once and Future Queen." The Lady smiled at the incredulous and shocked looks she received.

"But the ancient prophecies only speak of The Once and Future King. There is no Queen mentioned." Gwen protested.

"That is true." The Lady agreed. "The ancient prophecies speak of a king who's reign would bring about an age of such peace that when the land was in need of it again he would rise up once more and lead the land into another Golden Age. However, not all prophecies are absolute, nor is the power of the seer who makes them. The ancient one who first spoke of The Once and Future King did not foresee that another would be crucial in bringing about this peace, but the future is now clear. When peace reigns it will not just be by Arthur's doing, and when he rises up again, you will stand by his side, the two of you together, The Once and Future King _and_ Queen." No one spoke for some time as they tried to come to grips with what The Lady had said but eventually Arthur broke the silence.

"I told you we would be equals." He said to Gwen, grasping her hand in his. "Did I not say you would never just be an ornament on my arm, but my equal on the throne?"

"Just don't let being right to your head." She murmured back.

"Alright, well now that that's covered." Merlin interrupted, though he was smiling broadly, while turning back to The Lady. "We wished to ask for your help."

"I know what it is you seek, Emrys." She replied. "And I will tell you the same thing I told the two before you."

"Morgana's been here." It was not a question.

"Yes. She and Mordred also sought my aid."

"And what did you tell them?" Arthur asked.

"That my allegiance has always been, and will always be, with The True King of all Britain."

"Then the legends are true." Gwen said.

"Oh yes." The Lady concurred. "I have awaited The High King's arrival for over a thousand years. And his time is near at hand."

"Arthur." Merlin said with certainty. "The High King of legend is Arthur. He is The Once and Future King after all." However, The Lady of the Lake shook her head.

"They are not necessarily one in the same, Emrys. The Once and Future King and Queen will lead their kingdom into an era of peace both now, and in the future when they are needed once again. However, even I do not know if their kingdom will be merely Camelot, or all of Britain. That remains to be seen."

"What can you tell us?" Gwen asked.

"I can tell you that it will not be much longer before The High King is revealed to all. His coming, whoever he may be, is clear to see. The Sword in the Stone will reveal itself finally and upon the one who pulls the sword out will I bestow my magic."

"In what way?" Asked Merlin.

"The sword, Emrys." She replied. "I shall bestow upon The High King Excalibur, a sword with great power forged in the fire of our friend here." She motioned to Kilgharrah who bowed his head to her. "A sword forged in a dragon's breath possesses great power, more so when my magic is added to it. It can be used as a tool to build and protect, or as a weapon to destroy, its power has no equal."

"We will do all we can then to help the one who pulls the sword from the stone and see that it does not fall into the wrong hands." Arthur swore.

"Excalibur will not be the sword pulled from the stone. Due to its power I will see it only in the hands of The High King and never in another's. No doubt the ancient Sword in the Stone will be a mighty weapon, but Excalibur is not merely one sword, but every sword." She received confused looks and so elaborated. "The magic of Excalibur shall be bestowed upon The High King himself, not upon a weapon, for any sword in the hand of The High King is Excalibur."

"I see." Arthur said. "Well the sentiment stands." He looked up at The Lady, quite determined in the decision he had just made. "When The High King is revealed we will do all we can to protect him and aid him in his endeavour of uniting Britain."

"Even if it means losing your kingship?" The Lady asked. "The High King will unite Britain into one. The nine kingdoms will be no more, but rather will be united as one kingdom, under one king."

"Yes, even then." Arthur said without hesitation and The Lady smiled, a knowing look in her eyes.

* * *

 **A/N - I know Morgause didn't play nearly as big a role here as she did in the series, but like Uther she's served her purpose in this story.**


	9. The Joyous Day

_Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.  
_

* * *

 **Chapter 9 – The Joyous Day**

* * *

Arthur returned to Camelot with a new determination to do right by his people, and the people of Britain, regardless of if it meant that one day soon he would no longer be a king. He knew that regardless of the Alliance of Albion peace would never truly reign in Britain until the people were united as one kingdom. As a king, Arthur's priority was his people. He may be rich and live in a castle but he was a servant to his people, sworn to protect them and help them live and prosper, not to gather more riches for his own gain and lord his title and power over them. With that way of thinking Arthur knew that if the right thing for his people was to step down as king and allow The High King, whoever he may be, to rule Camelot as part of a united Britain, then he would do it. However, Arthur knew that not all the Kings of Albion would share his view. Sure they were all dedicated to protecting their people and bringing about peace, it was the reason the Alliance of Albion had been formed in the first place, but not all of them would see uniting the land as the way to go about bringing peace, nor were they all so altruistic as to give up their title and power. With the knowledge that The High King of legend would be revealed soon came the realization that some of Albion's Kings would claim the title for themselves, as would Mordred, and it may cause more harm than good; if the fight for the title of High King came to blows, the Alliance of Albion could be broken and war could breakout on all fronts, not just against the Saxons and Morgana. Deciding to test the waters, Arthur spoke with King Rodor about what The Lady of the Lake had said. Rodor was one of the few that Arthur thought may be of a similar mind as him for as far as noble kings went Rodor was one of very few. However, even he was sceptical and would not give up his kingdom or his kingship unless he was absolutely convinced that there was no other way, and even then Arthur knew he detected hesitation when Rodor said he'd give up his throne if it was right for his people; there was no guarantee that The King of Nemeth would follow through if, when, the time came.

 **oo00oo00oo**

Not long after the visit to The Lady of the Lake, winter arrived with a vengeance and Yuletide was upon them before they knew it. The celebrations were kept quieter than when Uther was alive, Arthur not feeling the need to display his wealth and power so opulently, though several banquets were still held throughout the season. As the New Year arrived Gwen could no longer deny that her clothes did not fit her anymore, the bump where her child grew now being quite obvious even through the heavy, layered clothes of winter. Arthur was quite amused the day Gwen admitted she would have to let out some of her dresses to accommodate the babe for she'd thrown an un-queen-like, and un-Guinevere-like, tantrum. At least he had been amused until her ranting had turned into crying and she had spent the next hour sobbing on his shoulder, saying she was fat and he would no longer love her. Eventually Arthur was able to convince her that that was entirely untrue, that he would love her no matter what she looked like, and, if it was possible, he found her even more beautiful with her belly rounded with his child. After that scene Arthur had immediately gone to Gaius wondering if something was wrong with Gwen and the pregnancy to have her acting so out of character and had been met by laughter as the Court Physician informed his King that such changes in mood were common for women while with child and it would most likely get worse before it got better as the babe grew heavier in Gwen's belly. Merlin had laughed heartily at his friend's expense when he'd learned what Arthur would have to deal with, though it did not last long when Arthur reminded him that given how close he was to Gwen and with how much time he spent around her that no doubt he too would be faced with her mood swings.

As the snow began to melt Merlin discovered how right Arthur had been as Gwen stormed into his chambers one day looking like she would be breathing fire if only she could. Till now Merlin had been quite lucky and had not suffered any of the strong and unpredictable mood swings Arthur spoke of, though the entire castle had witnessed mild ones; it seemed like finally his luck had run out.

"Gwen." Merlin greeted

"Don't you Gwen me!" She snarled and Merlin wondered what he had done.

"Alright, what can I do for you, _Your Majesty?_ " Gwen made a scoffing sound and Merlin knew that her title was not the issue; she had not come as his Queen.

"Tell me, Merlin, when was the last time you saw Princess Mithian?" Merlin froze at her words and decided to tread very carefully.

"At dinner last night?" It was more of a question than a statement and Gwen raised her eyebrow at it. "Yes, it was dinner last night." He tried again, though futilely for The Queen clearly did not believe him.

"Well that is interesting because I ran into Mithian this morning. She was hiding, or trying to, out on the balcony overlooking the courtyard, thinking it was still too cold for anyone to venture outside."

"And you did?" Merlin all but demanded. "Whether the snow is starting to melt or not it is still freezing out there and you know Gaius told you to rest. Where was…is it Leon or Percival's turn?" He referred of course to the guard Arthur had set her when she had entered the final couple months of her pregnancy. Arthur's protective instincts were on overdrive once her belly grew to the point where it looked as if a feather could push her over and he was insistent that she rest constantly and have someone with her at all times; it did not help that Gaius too had said she needed plenty of rest. To see to this Arthur had assigned her a guard to follow her around and see to her needs. Gwen had thrown a fit, her pregnancy hormones showing themselves once more, and so Arthur had relented, though only so far as making the guard either Leon or Percival, the many years Gwen had known them making it feel less like having a guard and more like spending time with friends. The two First Knights switched off each day, spending one day with The Queen and the other training with the other Knights or going about their other duties.

"Percival, but that's not the point! The point is I found Mithian sobbing. She would not tell me exactly why but I got enough out of her to know that _you_ had something to do with it! And what's more, that whatever it was you did, _happened in her bedchamber last night_!" Merlin's eyes widened at the implication.

"No, no, no, no, no. Gwen I swear it was nothing like that!"

"You had best hope not. Arthur would flay you alive if he ever found out you'd lain even one hand on a visiting princess, and let's not even mention what King Rodor would do!"

"It wasn't like that, Gwen." Merlin repeated, though this time he looked more tired then scared.

"Convince me then. Tell me what happened." Her tone softened somewhat as Merlin's look turned defeated, a look he'd worn any time he was about to confess something he'd rather not.

"Since coming to stay in Camelot, Princess Mithian has been very kind to me." He began. "We would talk, end up going for walks around the castle, she makes me laugh…I enjoy her company. We became friends."

"Oh dear." Gwen whispered, moving to sit down, thinking that she now knew where this was going.

"A couple weeks ago, after the feast Arthur held in honour of my birthday," Merlin could not help smile at the memory. While a servant his birthday had gone almost unmarked, Arthur, Gwen and Morgana joining Hunith and Gaius for a small celebration; however, as the Lord Mage, and clearly a good friend of The King's, his birthday was now apparently a lavish affair. "I was walking Mithian to her chambers, as I'd done many times before, however, this time when we arrived she did not merely say goodnight but…she kissed me."

"Alright…and what did you do?" Merlin blushed.

"I kissed her back." He admitted quietly and Gwen didn't know whether to feel happy for him or to smack him for being so foolish. "Afterwards, she admitted she had feelings for me. I-I was in shock. I left without saying a word…and spent the next two weeks avoiding her."

"Until last night." Gwen stated as the story caught up to the reason she was here.

"Her maid asked me to go see her, I was told that The Princess had found something she believed to be magical and didn't know if it was safe or not. It was a trick, of course, to get me to talk to her."

"What happened, Merlin?"

"She said she loved me." His voice was thick with emotion and Gwen at once wanted to comfort her friend, and to smack him again. "She asked if I felt the same way about her."

"And do you?" It was a few moments before Merlin spoke.

"I care for her." He said finally though Gwen suspected he was downplaying what he felt. "I told her as much, that I cared for her, as a friend-"

"I'm assuming she did not believe that last bit."

"No." He agreed. "She did not. She said she knew I was lying and she was convinced I loved her back. I tried to tell her I didn't. And I said that even if I ever did come to love her that nothing could come of it. She is a princess and will one day be Queen of Nemeth. She both needs and deserves a husband that will benefit her kingdom, and be able to help her rule, not a former servant who's destiny it is to protect and serve The Once and Future King, and Queen," He amended remembering The Lady of the Lake's words. "Who cannot leave Camelot nor devote himself entirely to her."

"And you told her this?" Merlin nodded. "Well it is no wonder she was crying. She knows you love her-"

"No, I care for-"

"Yes, yes you _care for her_ , which translates to you love her but are unwilling to admit it yet. And that's exactly why she was so upset. Through your own stubbornness you are refusing to admit your feelings and be with her."

"You cannot mean to tell me that you approve of a relationship between us?!" Merlin was incredulous.

"I want the both of you to be happy." Gwen said. "And I feel partially responsible for Mithian's feelings."

"Why? You don't think she could love me on her own?"

"Oh Merlin, you know that is not it. Any woman would be lucky to have you." Gwen paused to ensure Merlin believed her before continuing. "No, I feel responsible because she admitted her feelings to me before you returned from the siege and I encouraged her. My only defense is that she admitted she had such feelings when she was little so I thought it was a passing fancy from childhood and saw no harm in encouraging her flirtations."

"But had you known her feelings were genuine you would not have encouraged her so." It was not a question.

"I don't know." Gwen answered truthfully. "If the two of you decided to pursue a relationship the path ahead of you would be a difficult one. And you, Merlin, would then have a difficult path no matter which way you turned. As Arthur's friend and with your destiny as Emrys your life is difficult enough as it is. But I was not lying when I said I want the two of you to be happy." Gwen leaned over and grasped his hand. "If you decide you want to be with Mithian, we will support you, Merlin."

"How can you say that?!" Merlin jumped up and began pacing. "She's a princess and future queen, while I'm little more than a servant, regardless of whatever title you tack on to my name. She deserves far better than me and I am not meant to love. Not in that way at least."

"How can you say that, Merlin?"

"Because it is true! I am Emrys, The Immortal Mage of prophecy, my destiny is to help you and Arthur bring peace to the land and live long enough to see you both do it again and fulfill your destinies as The Once and Future King and Queen. My life is sworn to yours and what's more, I am also The Last Dragonlord, charged with ensuring the survival of dragons, of which there are only two left, and _on top of that_ , I have a price on my head for angering Morgana. It is only a matter of time before she comes for me, believing as she does that only I as Emrys can destroy her and so if she destroys me first then no one can harm her. I have all of that to contend with, I am not meant to fall in love and have a family. And even if I did, how could I knowingly put Mithian through all that?" He stopped pacing and looked Gwen in the eyes, quite defeated. "How can I watch her grow old and die as my destiny as The Immortal Mage keeps me alive?" Whether for her sake or his, Gwen rose and went to his side, pulling him into her arms and letting him cling to her as he cried, as all his emotions surrounding his destiny, the future that lay before him, and the future he clearly wanted instead, came out while Gwen cried right alongside her friend. After a few minutes the crying stopped and Gwen pulled away and forced Merlin to look her in the eyes.

"If you take nothing else from here, know that you do have a family. No, Merlin, listen to me." She said when he turned away. "It may not be the type of family you want, but know that you are loved. You have your mother and Gaius, you have me and Arthur, Percival and Leon too. And you will be the most favoured Uncle Merlin when this little one arrives. You will never be alone, Merlin. Not as long as we have anything to say about it. I can't tell you what to do in regards to Mithian save to not give up if you love her. And if you do love her, share all you have told me with her and let her decide on her own whether she still wants to be with you or not. Do not make that decision for her." Merlin nodded though Gwen wasn't entirely convinced she'd gotten through to him in regards to letting Mithian choose for herself. However, anything else she may have said to convince him was cut off as the door flew open to admit Percival.

"Merlin have you seen-" He stopped short seeing the two of them grasping each other's hands with still puffy eyes and tear stained faces. "There you are, Your Majesty."

"Yes, here I am. I do apologize for slipping away. I hope you didn't-"

"GUINEVERE!" A voice boomed from somewhere in the castle.

"Inform Arthur." She finished redundantly.

"I did not know where you were, Your Grace." The First Knight replied sheepishly, knowing how Arthur overreacted where Gwen and his child were concerned.

"My fault entirely." Gwen put a smile on her face, preparing herself for the coming confrontation as she led the way out the door.

 **oo00oo00oo**

If Merlin took any of Gwen's advice regarding Mithian neither he nor Nemeth's Princess showed it over the following weeks. They continued to act cordially in public, but Gwen suspected it was an act and that nothing had been resolved between the two of them. It did not help that Arthur had found out and now watched Merlin like a hawk whenever Mithian was around. The warlock's only consolation was that he had confided in his friend and so had brought it upon himself knowing what was likely to happen when Arthur found out; he was merely glad Arthur had listened to him and not gutted him then and there. As the days grew longer and warmer training began again in earnest as all knew that it would not be long until Morgana and the Saxons attacked once more. However, before that a much anticipated event was to take place and it certainly did not disappoint when The Queen's labour pains began one early morning in the middle of April; Arthur having been roused from sleep by his wife who had calmly informed him that her time had come. The King immediately went into a panic and it was up to Gwen to remind him to summon the midwife and Gaius. He did as instructed bolting from the room in nothing but his sleep pants, yelling for Gaius and the midwife as he went. Once a servant had been suitably found to carry the message Arthur quickly returned to Gwen's side and held her hand through her pains until the midwife arrived and kicked him out. Arthur spent the first few hours pacing in the antechamber only a closed door away from where he could hear Gwen's cries of pain as the babe prepared to be born. Merlin, Leon and Percival watched him pace until they could stand it no longer and forcibly removed The King from the room and down to the presence chamber.

"I need to be there!" He protested.

"No, you don't." Percival said calmly. "You have already been told you're in the way more than once and it is doing you no good to hear Her Grace go through her labour."

"We can use this time to plan." Leon suggested. "Heralds have yet to be sent into the city to announce the imminent birth, no celebrations have been planned yet should The Queen give us a Prince."

"Or Princess." Arthur corrected. "No matter the sex of my child there will be celebrations." His three friends nodded, glad at least that progress was being made. Just then, the doors opened and King Rodor walked in.

"I heard the news." He said having been informed the moment he awoke, morning had only properly broken less than an hour ago. "Mithian has gone to see The Queen and try to comfort her where she can. If you would prefer she not be there, I can send for her." It was unheard of that a member of the royal family of one kingdom be present for the birth of another kingdom's heir. In the distant past such an event had occurred and had ended in tragedy, the heir to the neighbouring kingdom had killed the babe soon after it was born a boy for they'd planned to take their neighbour's kingdom for themselves.

"No, I am grateful for any comfort she can be."

"We were just about to send heralds into the city and plan celebrations for the birth." Merlin informed King Rodor.

"Ah," Rodor smiled, knowing they were trying to distract Arthur. "Well, let me tell you of the grand celebrations we had for Mithian's birth." Although he knew he was purposefully being distracted Arthur allowed it, knowing that continuously thinking on Gwen was only doing him harm. However, that did not stop him from jumping up in anticipation every time the door opened, until finally, several hours later, it was not merely a servant bringing food who entered but Gaius who was smiling quite broadly.

"Sire." He bowed.

"Well?" Arthur could bear the wait no longer.

"The Queen has delivered. Of a healthy son." If it was possible Gaius' smiled brightened.

"A son…" Arthur muttered as he registered what Gaius had said.

"Congratulations, Sire!"

"Wonderful news, Arthur!" Leon, Percival and Merlin said at once, all three clapping him on the back and watching as their King's face changed from one of shock and awe to pure joy.

"I have a son!" Arthur shouted jubilantly before he tore out of the room and ran through the castle to the royal chambers. Had the door to his antechamber not been open in anticipation of his arrival it would no doubt have banged loudly against the wall as it was thrown open for Arthur did not stop until he caught sight of his wife cradling a small bundle wrapped in blankets through the open door of their bedchamber. Gwen looked up when he sedately entered the room, unaware of the attendants who backed out to give them privacy, as she turned her adoring eyes from son to father.

"Come meet your son." She whispered to not disturb the sleeping babe. Arthur came over and very slowly lowered himself to sit beside Gwen on the bed, doing his utmost not to disturb the child either.

"He's beautiful." He couldn't help but mumble as he brought his hand to gently cup his son's head and run a loving finger down his cheek.

"The most precious." Gwen agreed. "What shall we call him?"

"William." Arthur said after a moment.

"Not Uther?" Gwen wondered.

"God no. That is not a legacy I want to bestow upon my son." Gwen said nothing but quite agreed. "No, William is a name all his own yet pays tribute to both our families."

"Our fathers' second forenames." Gwen said, recalling that both Uther and Thomas had William as one of their forenames. "And his own?" Husband and wife looked to each other, both thinking the same thing.

"Merlin." They said together and tried not to laugh too loudly.

"Elyan." Gwen added, knowing it was customary for a royal babe to have several forenames; the unofficial practice within Britain being the more forenames one had the higher in station they were. Arthur nodded liking the idea of honouring his fallen friend.

"Well if Elyan is one we might as well go all the way and not split the three up." He looked to Gwen for approval and she nodded.

"William Merlin Elyan Leon Percival." She murmured her adoring eyes once more on her son.

"Thank you, Guinevere." Arthur said as he leaned over for a kiss. "Thank you for giving him to me."

"I could say the same to you." She teased.

"I think my work in bringing him into the world is non-existent compared to yours." He teased back, though quickly sobered. "I was worried."

"I heard that you had been in the antechamber for awhile. You shouldn't have stayed."

"I wanted to stay longer, I wanted to be in here with you. I wanted to take your pain away."

"I know you did. And I know that if there was a way you would not hesitate. And I love you for it."

"With all my heart." He said the words she had spoken when they'd first admitted their love for each other.

"With all my heart."

* * *

 **A/N - So the baby's been born. When I read the chapter again the names seemed a bit much, going a little over the top with the sentimentality and all that but I decided to hell with it; initially when i wrote this I didn't hesitate in the name so decided to go with my instincts.**

 **With this story I'm building on the Arthur/Merlin bromance (the wonderful and hilarious bromance) as well as the friend/family aspect that was touched on in the show. Let's be honest, a real medieval king would never let his friends talk to him the way Merlin talks to Arthur in the show, let alone** ** **his servants,** and this is taking it a bit further...and knocking the traditions and propriety of the time on their ass. But it works, so just go with it!**

 **Lastly, I know some of you expressed desire that Merlin would end up with Morgana...unfortunately that was never in my plans. Sorry to disappoint some of you. I know Morgana hasn't even played a huge role beyond the unseen villain, and originally I planned that she was seen more often then she has been, but it didn't work out that way when actually writing, and while she certainly isn't forgotten I don't think she'll suddenly start showing up a lot more. I also did not plan the Merlin/Mithian romance, that just kinda sneaked up on me. Don't know if they actually will end up together, I haven't actually written that far ahead yet, so we'll all just have to wait and see!**


	10. The Alliance of Albion

_Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.  
_

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 **Chapter 10 – The Alliance of Albion**

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The people of Camelot rejoiced at the news of the birth of a prince. Arthur was not seen outside of his chambers for three days as he spent his son's first few days of life with him and his wife. When he did emerge it was to smiles and congratulations everywhere he went though none more so than from his friends. It was them for whom Arthur had emerged so soon, though Gwen had said he need not stay by their side, that he couldn't for he had a kingdom to run, Arthur had insisted that the council could take care of matters until both Gwen and William had been given a clean bill of health. That day was today and now that both the midwife and Gaius declared The Queen and Prince healthy enough to receive visitors Arthur was going to see to just that. Unsurprisingly he found Leon and Percival on the training fields and it did not take much to pull them away, especially when they were told they would finally get to meet their Prince. Merlin met them at the entrance to the royal chambers having been invited as well, though he'd already seen The Prince, albeit briefly, when he came in search of Gaius one day and caught a glimpse of the babe before he'd been ushered out. Gwen was seated comfortably at the table in the royal antechamber that was laden with food, she also held a bundle of blankets within which was the object of everyone's attention.

"It is wonderful to see you so recovered, Your Majesty." Leon said, smiling brightly.

"Both you and our new Prince." Percival agreed.

"Sit. Eat." Arthur invited and the First Knights and Merlin took their places around the table.

"He fell asleep just before you got here." Gwen informed them. "Though he will not remain asleep for long."

"Unfortunately." Arthur commiserated. "I swear, babes should be born with the ability to sleep through the night."

"He is with you throughout the night?" Percival asked, quite surprised as everyone knew it was far from common for noble parents, let alone royal ones, to care for their own children when they were this young. Such duties were usually left to wet-nurses and governesses.

"I insisted." Gwen admitted. "He is my child and I will care for him. He has no need of a wet-nurse when I am perfectly able."

"It is commendable, My Lady." Leon said.

"So how much sleep have you had these last three days?" Merlin could not help ask Arthur with a smirk, seeing that The King was already beginning to nod off.

"Far too little." He grumbled, though here was no true annoyance in his words, it was clear he loved his son and did not begrudge him his numerous night time feedings. "Now, since he is asleep we will get to the point of this visit quickly and then you lot shall bugger off so The Queen and I may sleep while our son does."

"Be nice, Arthur." Gwen scolded.

"This is as nice as I get with as little sleep as I've had."

"You mean we are here for a reason beyond meeting our new Prince?" Leon asked.

"Yes. We have both something to tell you, and something to ask you." Gwen smiled once more.

"Allow me to formally introduce you to our son, Prince William Merlin Elyan Leon Percival." Arthur made the introductions and was met with silence.

"I'm sorry, what?" Percival asked when the shock had abated.

"You named your son after us?" Merlin asked in a whisper.

"Who better?" Gwen asked in return. "He is named for our fathers, albeit indirectly, for our oldest friend and the reason many of our people no longer need to hide-"

"Let's not go that far." Arthur interrupted. "I lifted the ban on magic not for Merlin but for-" Gwen gently reached over across the babe she still held to be able to grab a grape and throw it at her husband.

"As I was saying…for our oldest friend and the reason many of our people no longer need to hide, and for three of the bravest knights Camelot has ever known."

"And what is it you wanted to ask us, Your Grace?" Leon asked as they allowed what Gwen had said to sink in. The two monarchs looked to each other as if coming to a final agreement.

"We would like the three of you to be William's godfathers." Silence thicker than when they had announced they'd named their son after them reigned for awhile.

"But he's a prince, the future King of Camelot." Merlin protested. "Them I can understand, they are at least of noble birth, but not a year ago I was but a manservant, the lowest of the low."

"Merlin, no matter your birth you are now The Lord Mage, Earl of Ealdor, one of my Privy Councillors, The Last Dragonlord, and Emrys, the most powerful warlock to ever exist." Arthur said. "But what's more, you are my friend, arguably my best friend, the wife notwithstanding." He amended. "Should anything happen to me or Guinevere I know that you will not only care for William and protect him, but you will tell him how much his mother and father loved him, and help guide him in his role as King as you have helped me." Merlin and Arthur stared at each other for a moment and although he allowed no tears to shed, the warlock's eyes watered and emotion was clear in them as he nodded his acceptance.

"And if you ever mention what he said to anyone outside of this room it'll be back to mucking out the stables for you!" Percival beat Arthur to the punch, knowing his King as he did and his relationship with his former manservant, successfully lightening the mood.

"Naturally." Merlin mumbled good-naturedly.

"You won't be the only ones, though." Gwen felt compelled to add. "As the future King he will have many godparents to ensure he is cared for should the worst happen."

"Especially since two of us may die in battle, and the other has a price on his head as a powerful warlock." Leon acknowledged in total agreement.

"We intend to ask King Rodor, and Princess Mithian both, so he may at least have some royal training as a monarch should we be unable to give it to him, along with several members of the nobility." The three godfathers to be nodded their heads and both Gwen and Arthur were happy with the way things had went.

"And now that that is over with, got out the lot of you." Arthur said. "I intend to seek my bed while I have the chance." Laughter followed Arthur's pronouncement, thought they kept it quiet so as to not wake the little prince. However, it was all in vain, for no sooner had the door shut behind them that the babe in Gwen's arms began to cry. Arthur groaned and flopped down into his chair, placing his head on the table.

"I'm not going to get any sleep am I?" He asked.

"That depends on what he wants." Gwen returned. "Come on. You can check his cloths then I'll feed him and we'll see if he goes back to sleep." She handed the crying babe to his father who looked down at the infant most unimpressed.

"I am the King of Camelot. I should not be changing dirty cloths."

"And I am the Queen of Camelot, yet I've changed several."

"Yes but it was you who insisted we care for him ourselves, not I."

"Oh please, as if you would allow anyone else to care for our little one." Gwen scoffed as Arthur dutifully, though hesitantly, laid his son down to check his cloths.

"I agreed that you should break from tradition and feed him from your own breast, not that I should change him when he soils himself. It is simply not done, Guinevere. We are King and Queen, not nursemaids, people of our stature do not perform such duties."

" 'Simply not done' is not in our vocabulary, Arthur." Gwen retorted. "We have never acquiesced to tradition before simply because it is tradition and we are not going to start with our son."

"Perhaps we should in some cases." Arthur muttered.

"What was that?" Gwen called.

"Nothing, sweetheart!" He assured her before turning his attention back to William who had stopped crying for the time being, though who's teary eyes threatened more cries should something not be done. "Right…right…how does this thing work?" Arthur spoke to himself and debated his plan of attack until William began to cry once more and he decided to simply wing it, though it proved to be a mistake.

"Uh…Guinevere?" He called urgently when the babe began squirming causing the cloth to slip out of place and forcing Arthur to hold it closed.

"Admitting defeat already?" His wife asked amusedly from where she was leaning against the doorframe.

"Yes." Arthur sighed grudgingly causing Gwen to laugh as she came over and showed him the proper way to change their son's cloths.

"To think that the great King Arthur, who has never lost a battle, can strategize better than any man, and who can accomplish feats where all others have failed…is stumped by a babe's cloths."

"Rub it in why don't you?" he mumbled, quite put out that what she said was true, though also glad that his son calmed down now that he was in his mother's sure hands.

"I am not rubbing it in, Arthur." She said. Now finished changing him, Gwen sat on the bed and undid her bodice, suckling her son at her breast. "But you should learn."

"I don't know, Gwen." He responded as he too sat on the bed and watched his son feed, quite mesmerized by the sight and the feeling of complete peace, as if there was nothing more natural in the world.

"No, you will learn." She said, quite sure of herself.

"Oh? And why do you say that?"

"Because I challenge you." She said with a mischievous glint in her eye. Arthur smiled.

"Well then…I have never failed a challenge before."

"I know."

 **oo00oo00oo**

The following weeks passed slowly for which everyone was glad. For Arthur and Gwen it felt like they had more time with their son, who had recently had his christening and been introduced to the people via an appearance on the balcony overlooking the courtyard afterwards. The nobles the monarchs had asked to be godparents were only too happy to be named such, including Arthur's uncle Agravaine who while he had retired from court life some years ago, was happy to be a godfather to his great-nephew. Both Rodor and Mithian happily accepted as well, though the latter's look of longing at Merlin as she held the child was not lost on Arthur and Gwen, nor was Merlin's decision to ignore the feelings Nemeth's Princess had for him. They were certain King Rodor knew nothing about his daughter's feelings, for Merlin had not been called out nor had an enraged father come to Arthur in complaint. Even so, Camelot's monarchs breathed a sigh of relief when King Rodor decided it was time to return to Nemeth and he and Mithian rode out the palace gates. They hoped that the separation would quell the feelings Mithian could not act on, though in truth neither held out much hope.

 **oo00oo00oo**

As May began news arrived that Morgana were once again on the move and it appeared that the entire Saxon army was behind her. Arthur sent word to the other monarchs of Albion who gathered at Camelot knowing that Morgana would be coming for Arthur and his throne. Camelot's monarchs did all they could to make their guests welcome but it was not easy given the sheer number of them. Knowing this was likely Morgana's last strike, each monarch had brought their army, leaving behind only those necessary to guard their capitals. Each army was camped outside Camelot Castle's walls, there both being not enough room for all of them inside the city but Arthur and Gwen also not wanting armies aside from theirs, even allied ones, inside their walls. However, although the soldiers themselves remained outside, Arthur and Gwen had welcomed the monarchs inside the castle, along with their families whom many had brought with them not trusting the few guards that remained to be sufficient protection. With so many royals in one place it was unsurprising that the castle servants were run ragged, nor that tempers were running high as each King or Queen sought to be heard above the others.

"Deorham does not possess the land necessary to hold a battle the size of which the Saxon forces demand." King Alined repeated for what he was certain was the tenth time since the monarchs had resumed their meeting from the previous day, which had gotten them nowhere.

"You jest, Alined." Cenred scoffed. "All of Albion knows that Deorham possesses vast plains that would be perfect for a battle. And your kingdom lies between the Saxons and Camelot. You merely do not wish to have the battle on your lands simply because it is your lands and not another's."

"I do not hear you offering Essetir as the battlefield." Alined sneered in return. "Perhaps it is you who merely does not wish the battle to take place in your kingdom."

"For the battle to take place in Essetir we would have to lure the Saxons through Deorham and Caerleon both! Where is the sense in that?" Cenred retorted.

"My Lords please." Arthur tried to intervene. "Arguing will get us nowhere."

"I quite agree." Said Queen Annis. "Besides, I do not believe that it will be entirely up to us where the battle takes place. It will depend more on which route the Saxons take, and where they stop marching and start attacking. If Caerleon ends up being this location we shall play our part."

"Queen Annis speaks true." Said Bayard, King of Mercia. "And in all honesty I am more concerned with this High King than the battle."

"You buy into that drivel?" King Odin of Meredor asked derisively.

"You don't?" Bayard returned. "All of our sorcerers have given credence to the ancient legends."

"I agree with Bayard." Said King Godwyn of Gawant. "The time of The High King is coming."

"I am not fighting to protect my kingdom to merely hand over my crown to some upstart who declares himself the King of all Britain!" Alined snarled.

"You would prefer to allow war to continue?" Arthur countered. "If the legends are true, and after hearing their validity from The Lady of the Lake herself I believe they are, then The High King will unite the nine kingdoms and bring about a peace like never before throughout all of Britain." This was one fact none could dispute; The Lady's power was known to all and none could refute her claims. At some point each monarch had sent their own court sorcerers to see her, though only Merlin, Arthur and Gwen had been granted an audience, and not only that, but had been summoned, for word had spread that The Lady herself had wanted to meet Emrys and The Once and Future King and Queen. The sorcerers returned to their kingdoms with this tale after seeing it when bathed by the rampant magic at the Isle of the Blessed, though none had managed to see The Lady herself; that she had not only granted an audience with only one monarch but had instigated the meeting herself spoke volumes. "Who are we to deny our people that? Do we really place a higher importance on our thrones and our power than we do on peace for our kingdoms and our people's lives?"

"That is easy for you to say. As The Once and Future King you clearly believe yourself to be The High King and will not only not have to give up your throne, but will gain all of ours!." Odin snapped.

"I believe no such thing." Arthur's voice had gone deathly quiet at he stared Odin down. "The prophecy naming me The Once and Future King speaks not of The High King of Britain. I do not know who it is, but whether it is I or not, I will do right by my people and give them their best chance at life and peace."

"And that is why I believe Arthur is The High King." Merlin spoke up from where he, and the several other advisors allowed to attend this meeting, stood. "He is the only one who does not hesitate to give up his kingship if it means peace and prosperity for all."

"Not a word out of you, Merlin."

"So sorry, I just thought since we were discussing your destiny as The Once and Future King, and as my destiny is attached to yours, that I should have a say."

"You let your servants speak to you so?" Alined demanded with Odin nodding his agreement, these two kings being the largest opposition to basically everything that was said.

"Merlin is no longer my servant, he is my Court Mage. He is also my friend." Arthur defended. "He has always spoken his mind and has yet to lead me wrong."

"Yet to lead all of us wrong, it seems." Annis declared. "My own sorcerers highly praise Lord Emrys and his deeds for Albion and Britain. They claim that even before magic returned to Camelot that Lord Emrys was responsible for saving us all on more than one occasion, even knowing as he did that if Uther ever discovered his magic he would be put to death. I have been cautioned more than once to not underestimate The Immortal Mage's power. If he says that Arthur is The High King, I am inclined to believe him."

"You do me great honour with your praise, Queen Annis, but please do not misunderstand." Merlin said, his courtly manners and formality returning when not addressing his own King. "My power may be great but it is not infinite, it certainly is no match for The Lady of the Lake, and there are no doubt others who could defeat me, Morgana herself poses a great threat. I am also not a seer, I do not see the future and so regardless of my own feelings on the matter I cannot say with certainty that Arthur is The High King." Annis nodded her acknowledgement at Merlin's statement but did not retract what she had said.

"What would you have us do, Annis?" Rodor asked, truly curious if any of the monarchs had changed their tune.

"I would have us do right by our people, as Arthur says. We must be willing to give up our own power if it is in their best interests."

"But how will we know if it is in their best interests?" Bayard asked.

"I think that will become clear when we see who stands before us as High King." No one missed how her eyes landed on Arthur as she said this, though none commented on it.

"There is little else we can discuss in regards to The High King the ancient prophecies speak of until such as time as he is revealed." Said Rodor. "Let us at least agree to keep an open mind, if nothing else." No matter their personal feelings, Rodor was not asking much and so each monarch nodded their assent.

"Now may we get back to convincing Alined that Deorham is the best place to intercept the Saxons?" Cenred asked, starting off King Alined's protests once again. They did not last for long, however, before the doors to the council chambers opened and Sir Leon and Sir Percival burst in, quickly making their way to their King.  
"This has just come, Sire." Leon said.

"The messenger was quite insistent that it reach you immediately." Percival added, leaving unspoken the assumption that such insistence probably meant it was bad news. Arthur took the roll of parchment from Leon and began to read. The other monarchs looked to him for a sign of what it said, but Arthur's face gave nothing away.

"Thank you, Leon, Percival. Prepare the men, we ride at dawn." The two Knights bowed before practically running out of the room to obey their King's orders. When the doors closed Arthur turned to his fellow monarchs.

"It looks like you will get your wish, King Alined. Morgana and the Saxons have moved faster than we anticipated, and are at my borders. The battle will take place in Camelot."


	11. The Beginning of the End

_Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin._

* * *

 **Chapter 11 – The Beginning of the End**

* * *

It was not only Arthur who began mobilizing his army upon hearing that Morgana and the Saxons were approaching; every man each monarch had brought was told to prepare for departure at dawn. After seeing all was well at hand, Arthur retreated to his chambers intent on spending his remaining time before departure with his wife and son. However, voices in a hidden alcove near the guest quarters stopped him momentarily.

"We can't." The first voice Arthur knew well having grown up listening to the voice of his friend, manservant and now Court Mage. "My Lady, please."

"Tell me truly, Merlin." Mithian spoke. "Do you not love me? And no lies, or saying what you think you ought to. Tell me the truth." Merlin was silent for a moment and it was not only Mithian that awaited his answer.

"Yes, alright? I love you. But we can never be you and I. Our destinies could not be more different."

"I think you're wrong about that." She said, joy evident in her voice at his admission. "But I can work on that now that I know for certain you love me."

"Mithian we can't." Merlin pleaded again.

"You go to war tomorrow, Merlin, and you may not return. I may never see the man I love again. Please do not leave me without at least one kiss." Arthur heard no more and rightly assumed that Merlin had given in. So The King of Camelot continued on his way, confident that Merlin would not allow things to go too far and so he need not intervene. Reaching his chambers, Arthur opened the door and was greeted by sight of his wife pacing with a sniffling baby who turned his big blue eyes on his father.

"He won't settle down." Gwen explained.

"Here, let me." Arthur said and took William from her, beginning to pace himself, and it wasn't long before the babe's head fell onto Arthur's shoulder as he fell asleep. "See? He just needed to be in his father's arms."

"Clearly." Gwen said with a loving smile as she followed Arthur into their bedchamber where he carefully put William down so as not to wake him.

"You leave at dawn do you not?" Gwen asked as they returned to the antechamber where the dinner Arthur had not had a chance to eat was laid out.

"Yes. I fear this is it, Gwen. This will be Morgana's final stand. I fear one of us will not come out of this alive."

"Then God willing let it be her, for I could not bear to lose you." Gwen murmured as she took a seat in Arthur's lap and ran her hands through his hair, bringing them around his neck.

"How am I supposed to kill her Gwen?" He asked as he too wrapped his arms around her to hold her close. "Even after her betrayal all those months ago, how am I to kill my sister?"

"You must not think it is your sister you kill. Any trace of the Morgana we knew and loved died the day she betrayed that love."

"It is not that simple-"

"Perhaps not, but you must make it that simple for the battle to come. You cannot afford to hesitate, Arthur, it could be the end of you if you do." Arthur sighed but nodded, knowing she was right. "If you face her and feel like you are about to hesitate all you must do is look into her eyes. Remember the cold hatred we saw in them the last time. There was no trace of our Morgana there. Look into her eyes, Arthur, and you will see it, you will know that whether or not the woman who stands before you bears her name and her face, it is _not_ our sister."

"I know you are right. I only wish I knew what happened. How did things go so wrong, Gwen? When and why did she begin to hate us so?"

"I think we all know the 'when' was when the Saxons took her captive."

"If she really was a captive." Arthur imputed.

"I believe she was in the beginning. Whatever happened to her during her weeks there is what turned her against us."

"But _what_ happened? Even all these months later we still do not know. All we do know is that she wasn't under an enchantment!"

"Remember what Kilgharrah said." Gwen reminded him gently. "There is more than one way to break a person's mind, non-magical ways."

"But then she is not truly herself. Whether broken through magic or otherwise she is still broken and it is not her fault."

"Perhaps not entirely. But if all our years together could be wiped away in a matter of weeks and without magic then the potential had to have been there. There had to have been something inside Morgana that wanted to believe we were as bad as Uther and that the throne of Camelot, or even all of Britain, was rightfully hers."

"It is not rightfully hers." Arthur nearly spat. "I am Uther's son, his only legitimate child, and the rightful heir to Camelot. Though she did have a strong claim to the throne should I have died childless, being of Uther's blood, even if she is illegitimate. But we have William now and should I die he would become King with you as Queen Regent until he is of age."

"That is assuming she follows the proper path and…and does not also try to kill our son." She gasped at the thought of her barely one month old child dying.

"That will never happen." Arthur's voice was deathly quiet and promised a great deal of pain to anyone who thought to stand in his way on this.

"Arthur promise me you will not die!" Gwen whispered, burying her head in her husband's shoulder as tears began to fall. "I could not bear it if I lost you. What would William and I do without you?"

"You would go on as you know you must, for our son and our kingdom." His arms tightened around her. "I cannot promise you that I will not die, Guinevere. That is something that is in God's hands. What I will promise is to do all I can to stay alive. I do not want to leave you, Guinevere. Not you and not our son. I will do everything in my power to return to you both." Gwen nodded her head though made no move to pull away. "I love you, Gwen. With all my heart."

 **oo00oo00oo**

It was a few hours before nightfall when Arthur and his fellow Kings and Queen decided to make camp, knowing that with as many men as they had between them it could take those few hours just to set up camp. They chose a spot at the bottom of Badon Hill, which offered them the most protection, and opportunity to spot an attack. A large tent for the monarchs, their advisors and generals was set up at the very centre of the camp with each kingdom's army laid out around them, the King or Queen's personal tent being set up in the centre of their own army's encampment. The monarchs met in their communal tent that evening for dinner and to discuss tactics. Some, like Arthur and Cenred, would be leading their men into battle, while a few others, like Annis and Alined, would not, knowing they would be of no help in an actual battle. Still, the monarchs who would remain behind would never sit back in their castles and send their armies to do their bidding, they would always follow them even if they did no fighting themselves. They were half way through dinner when the shouts started. Those trained soldiers immediately armed themselves and ran to investigate while the others huddled around the tent's entrance cursing their age, gender or infirmity that stopped them from having been trained to fight, or from being able to fight any longer. It did not take long for Arthur to discover the cause of the shouts; their camp was under attack. Calling his men to arms as he ran into the fray, Arthur began what he hoped was the last battle against the Saxons and Morgana. He was quickly joined by Leon and Percival who took up positions on either side of him, intent on protecting their King at all costs. They fought their way through the Saxons hoping for a sign as to where Mordred was, if he was even here, knowing that if they cut off the head, the rest of the Saxons would quickly follow. Their search, however, was interrupted as a bright light illuminated the sky. He and the others turned to see Merlin and Morgana facing off against each other in the manner sorcerers did best: with magic. The battle between the two appeared fierce with neither side the clear victor, though Arthur did not have time to stop for longer than that as more and more Saxons came upon them. He and his two best Knights fought as hard as they could but the sheer number of Saxons that had appeared was overwhelming. Eventually they were surrounded and it was a gloating Mordred to stepped forward; apparently he'd been searching out Arthur just as Arthur had been searching him.

"Drop your weapons and I may let you live." He said with a sickening grin.

"I will never surrender to the likes of you!" Arthur hissed as his tactical brain worked on overdrive to find them a way out of there.

"Then you will perish, Arthur Pendragon. Your refusal will leave Camelot ripe for the taking. Not that it wouldn't have been anyways. Morgana can have her precious crown she covets and with you gone, none shall stand in my way as High King."

"You're a fool, Mordred, if you believe for one second that Morgana will quietly retreat to Camelot and not try for all of Britain. And you're a fool even more if you think getting rid of me will make you The High King. Either you are, or you are not. I have nothing to do with it."

"So you say. But Morgana says otherwise."

"Morgana is using you. Can you not see it? She was always good at getting her own way, and it appears that that has not changed. She will use you, Mordred, and discard you the moment your usefulness runs out. If she lives that long." Arthur nodded behind Mordred to where Merlin had managed to push Morgana back and was quickly gathering his magic in the hopes of hitting her before she could get back up. "It would appear that Merlin has gotten the best of her, and once she is dealt with he shall turn his sights on you. Emrys, The Immortal Mage, shall come for you whether I be alive or not. So strike me down, Mordred, and seal your fate to not even live long enough to find out whether or not you are The High King, let alone actually claim the crown." His words had the desired effect of enraging Mordred enough to cause him to lash out blindly. It was Arthur's last hope that this would make Mordred clumsy enough to give them a chance, no matter how small of one given the men he had with them. However, it seemed that Arthur himself wasn't without men for as soon as Mordred and his men raised their swords did six of Arthur's come barrelling in. The six fought with no fear and the skill that only came with years of training, though the quick glance he had had told Arthur that these six were not Knights of Camelot. With their help, Arthur, Percival and Leon renewed their own fight and it wasn't long before they had the Saxon's on the run, Mordred at their head.

"Ha!" Arthur let out a bark of laughter at the sudden and unexpected turn of events. That was not the only turn of events, however, for it appeared that the battle was over and the Saxons were in retreat. Arthur looked to Merlin and saw him standing alone, though without Morgana's body at his feet, telling Arthur that she had escaped. Seeing the fight was over, Arthur sheathed his sword and turned to his savours.

"Thank you. All of you." He said, offering his hand to each in turn.

"Our honour, Your Majesty." One of them said while the others murmured similar sentiments, one of them accepting a dagger from Percival who had pulled it out of the Saxon it had been imbedded in and cleaned it on his cape before returning it to the man who was just as big and brawny, if not more so, than Percival himself.

"What are your names?" Arthur enquired, seeing new Knights before him if ever there were some.

"I am Lancelot, Your Grace." The man who had spoken previously said. "This is my friend Gwaine." Lancelot was quite tall with short brown hair and appeared to be about Arthur's age. The same could be said for Gwaine, though he was slightly shorter and his hair was longer.

"My name is Galahad, Sire, and this is my brother Tristan." Said the shortest and apparently youngest of them all, if his more boyish looks were anything to go by. Tristan was clearly the older brother and appeared a bit reserved, offering his King a bow in greeting, but saying nothing.

"This is Dagonet, and I'm Bors, Your Majesty." The big brawny man finished the introductions. Both he and his companion lacked any hair to speak of, though Dagonet did have a bit of a beard. They were also clearly the oldest of the bunch, having at least a several years on the others.

"Well gentlemen, it would appear we owe you a debt of gratitude."

"We are far from gentlemen, Sire." Gwaine said with a laugh. "We all come from poor outlying villages of no consequence, and families of no name."

"Why did you enlist?" Arthur asked.

"Likely the same reason most men enlist." Dagonet answered. "We wanted to protect our families, our friends. At one point or another, the Saxons forced us all from our homes. We sought refuge in the city, where we all met, and saw too many others like us who had lost everything thanks to this war. We know the damage the Saxons can and have done and want to put an end to it."

"That is quite commendable of you." Arthur praised. "What are your professions?"

"Our family were farmers, Sire, before the Saxons destroyed our crops and took our livestock for themselves." Tristain said of him and Galahad.

"Dagonet and I share a profession, My Lord. We were both our villages' blacksmiths." Said Bors.

"While Lancelot and I were swords for hire, Your Grace." Gwaine said.

"I can understand your skill then," Arthur directed to the two swordsmen. "But all of you fight as well as most Knights of Camelot, and with a bit of polishing could no doubt rival even my First Knights." He nodded to Leon and Percival who both wore scowls at his words.

"As always, your confidence and praise honours and astounds us, Sire." Leon deadpanned while Percival muttered something under his breath about wiping the floor with Arthur should they live through this battle to see the training fields again. Arthur quirked a smile but otherwise ignored them, keeping his attention on the six newcomers.

"Why have none of you presented yourselves at the castle to face the Knights' trials?"

"We are not of noble birth, Sire. The law forbids it." Lancelot said with a raised eyebrow. Arthur sighed and nodded, remembering now his father's law.

"This was true during my father's reign. But I am not my father, that law was repealed shortly after I became King."

"We did not know, My Lord."

"I am certain most do not know. I was so busy with magic returning to the kingdom and Morgana's betrayal that I did not put much thought into spreading the word." Arthur unsheathed his sword and held it in front of him, raising himself to appear every inch the king he was. "But my error can be rectified here and now if you so wish."

"Sire?" Galahad asked.

"What you have faced here this day far surpasses anything you would face in the knights' trials. I would be proud to call you Knights of Camelot." The six men looked to each other unsure what to think. They had not expected such when they had intervened. In truth, none had seen that it was The King who was in danger when they had stepped in, merely that three of their fellow soldiers were outnumbered. Learning that it was The King had made them fight harder, but they had stepped in thinking him another common man like themselves, not in the hopes of any reward.

"I would be honoured, Sire." Lancelot was the first accept. "As a boy I dreamed of being a Knight of Camelot, but did not allow myself to keep that dream as I grew, knowing of King Uther's law." As had been the case for years, where Lancelot went, Gwaine followed, and it wasn't long before the others had accepted as well. Each man knelt before their King in turn as Arthur touched his sword to each of their shoulders and proclaimed them Knights of Camelot.

"Arise, Sir Gwaine, Knight of Camelot."

"Arise, Sir Bors, Knight of Camelot."

"Arise, Sir Dagonet, Knight of Camelot."

"Arise, Sir Tristan, Knight of Camelot."

"Arise, Sir Galahad, Knight of Camelot."

"Arise, Sir Lancelot, Knight of-"

"Your Majesty, look out!" Lancelot cried suddenly and launched himself forwards, catching Arthur around the waist and knocking him to the ground in time to protect him from the sword that was coming his way. None had noticed that one of the Saxons they thought dead had begun to stir as they talked and the man had taken the time to gather his wits and his sword and strike at The King of Camelot. Lancelot's cry was followed not one second later by the swing of both Leon and Percival's swords as they reacted to the threat, their swords both hit their mark and the force of the swings cut the Saxon clean in half.

"Sire!" Both First Knights yelled rushing to their King's side, quickly followed by the newly minted knights. They pulled Lancelot off Arthur and were glad to see he was unharmed, both knights laughed as Arthur cursed and swore that he was alright, until he noticed Lancelot was not moving.

"Lancelot!" Arthur's cry brought the attention back to the man who had saved him, and the large pool of blood that was beginning to stain his tunic.

"Get him to a physician, now!" Arthur shouted as he, Gwaine, Leon and Percival lifted Lancelot and began carrying him towards the medical tent. "Merlin!" Arthur shouted again as they went, looking to the warlock who had still not moved from where he had been fighting Morgana. "Merlin, for God's sake get your lazy ass over here and save him!" Merlin rushed over and began examining Lancelot when they placed him in an empty cot.

"He's lost a lot of blood." Merlin mumbled.

"No, really, Merlin? I could not see that for myself. Can you heal him?!" Arthur's biting sarcasm was noted but Merlin did not say anything in return.

"I can close the wound but it has to be cleaned first or any dirt will allow for infection to set in." Using all the, admittedly meagre, skill he had learned from Gaius over the years, Merlin carefully cleaned the wound before using his magic to seal it shut. "I've done all I can. The physician will have a potion to try and increase his strength, but it is really up to him now." The others nodded and began filing out, knowing they were only in the way of the physicians' work, huddled in the tent as they were. Only Arthur and Merlin were left.

"He saved my life." Arthur said. "If he had not seen the attack I would be dead now."

"I will ensure the physicians do all they can to save him. Even if I have to summon Aithusa and fly back to the castle for Gaius, nothing will be spared to ensure he lives." Arthur placed his hand on Merlin's should in thanks before taking a seat next to Lancelot, intent on staying until he awakened, or until the war could no longer wait. A few hours later Arthur was nodding off when he heard a groan. His eyes flew open and immediately went to Lancelot who was beginning to stir.

"Lancelot. Lancelot, can you hear me?" The man groaned again, though he did nod his head, much to Arthur's delight. After a few minutes in which Lancelot fully awakened and insisted on sitting up, though Arthur tried to stop him, The King again spoke.

"I owe you my life, Sir Lancelot. You have but to name your reward and it is yours."

"Am I truly a knight if you didn't actually get to proclaim me as such?" Out of everything Lancelot could have said Arthur was not expecting that and could not stop the laugh that escaped.

"I believe so, but if you have doubts I shall of course oblige." The King stood and unsheathed his sword once more, moving quickly to place it atop Lancelot's shoulder to stop the man from kneeling as he attempted to do. Once confident that Lancelot would not move further, Arthur lifted his sword and brought it from one shoulder to the next. "I would tell you to rise, but that would defeat the purpose. So, instead I offer both my thanks, and my congratulations, _Sir_ Lancelot, Knight of Camelot."

* * *

 **A/N - And the other Knights have finally been introduced. Yes, I took them from the 2004 movie _King Arthur_ , save for Gwaine and Lancelot who were also in _Merlin._ More on the new Knights to come! **


	12. The Sword in The Stone

_Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.  
_

* * *

 **Chapter 12 – The Sword in The Stone**

* * *

News of Camelot's new Knights spread quickly throughout the ranks and the six quickly learned that there was more to being a knight then fighting alongside The King wearing his golden dragon sigil on their new red capes. With the new title came a great deal of responsibility and the other men who they had stood beside on the battlefield the day before now looked to them for leadership. Thankfully Camelot's First Knights did not leave them alone as they became accustomed to their new role but took them under their wing and guided them as best they could. Lancelot healed quickly with a few strengthening potions from the physicians. As Merlin's magic had healed the wound he was lucky to skip that step and so merely had to regain his strength without the added pressure of his body healing as well. After the Saxons' attack the previous evening they knew they were close enough to not move camp and so settled in instead, posting more guards to watch for another attack. None came the following day or night allowing time to strategize. Their second day at Badon Hill brought with it an emissary from Mordred, giving the time and place of the battle the following day and promising a full out attack should they not accept.

"Treachery is the way the Saxons." King Bayard said as the monarchs convened to discuss what was essentially a summons. "They will not honour this missive. No doubt they hoping to lull us into a false sense of security by naming the time and place only to try and catch us unawares this evening or early tomorrow morning."

"I agree with Bayard." Said Cenred. "Neither Mordred nor Morgana are honourable enough to tell us their plan and stick to it."

"We will double the watch this evening." Suggested Godwyn. "We will not allow them to catch us unawares."

"There are still so many men here that it would be only too easy for a few Saxons to slip in." Argued Odin. "And once a few get in more can as well, or they can take out the watch and we'd never know their full army approaches."

"Is there not any magical means we can take to prevent that?" Alined demanded, looking to their magical advisors.

"We can offer a warning, Your Majesties." Merlin answered from where he'd been conversing with the other Court Mages. As Emrys, he was their unofficial spokesman, the others offering input, though tending to follow his lead.

"In what way?" Arthur asked. "Can you stop them from entering the camp?" Merlin shook his head.

"No. Even creating such a barrier, at the size required, would use up a great deal of our magic, let alone maintaining it all night."

"So then what help can you be?" Alined snapped.

"As I said we can offer a warning. We can use our magic to create a perimeter around the camp that will give a very loud warning should anyone cross it. We'd have to warn the men not to cross it though, it will not distinguish between ally and enemy."

"At least we will have a warning." Annis said. "It will offer us enough time to gather arms should there be an attack. And it will allow us all to sleep tonight. Our men can rest easy knowing they will not be killed in their beds by a sneak attack for they will be awoken long before then." It was agreed then that was the best solution they could come up with and so Merlin led the other sorcerers outside and told them to spread out and cast the perimeter two hundred yards outside the camp. When that was done Merlin went to find Arthur who had taken a seat around the fire with his friends and Camelot's newest Knights.

"Merlin, come join us!" The King called when he spotted him. Everyone shuffled down to make room for Merlin who happily accepted a bowl of stew. "We were just learning more about our new friends' lives and families."

"We got as far as Lancelot and Gwaine having none." Leon said.

"Yes, neither families nor lives to speak of." Percival added with a smirk.

"And you yourself have a vivacious and exorbitant social life do you Percival?' Merlin asked. "Between trying to beat Arthur and Leon in training and drowning your sorrows at the tavern when you fail?"

"It's been awhile since I've seen you on the training fields, Merlin." Percival retorted with narrowed eyes. "You always did make a good practice dummy."

"I notice you're not denying you haven't beaten them in awhile." Percival threw a piece of bread at Merlin's head which the sorcerer caught and smilingly took a bite before thanking the First Knight. Percival looked like he wanted nothing more than to retort further though Arthur put a stop to it.

"Enough, both of you."

"Yes, Percival, don't sink to Arthur's level." Leon said with a sideways glance at his King. "He and Merlin are bad enough, we don't need to make it you and Merlin as well."

"That's enough out of you too." Arthur growled at his other First Knight.

"Is it always like this?" Galahad asked, he and the others quite shocked at the familiarity between the four men, especially given one was The King.

"Quite." Merlin admitted readily. "It is really only Gwen who has a chance of reining us in actually."

"Gwen?" Lancelot asked confused.

"Queen Guinevere." Leon clarified, only deepening the shock the others felt.

"You're that informal with Her Majesty?"

"Only when appropriate." Arthur explained, sending a look to Merlin. "Which, were you not Knights of Camelot, it would not be."

"But they are Knights of Camelot." Merlin defended. Although it was undeniable that Percival and Leon were great friends of The King's the other Knights were certainly considered friends and used to the informality and familiarity the First Knights and Merlin shared with The King and Queen; as Knights themselves now these six would have to get used to it too.

"We all grew up together." Arthur continued. "Merlin and I have known each other for longer than we can remember, having been born within months of each other. Leon and Percival spent much time at the castle as their fathers' were Councilmen and we began training together as knights as children, and Guinevere came to the castle when she was not quite five years old."

"You all sound quite close." Gwaine commented.

"We are, you will get used to it. And you may even join us when you meet The Queen." Said Percival. "She has this way about her that puts people at ease instantly. With but a smile your day brightens, and her kindness and generosity inspires loyalty in all she meets."

"Careful, Percival, or I may think you are in love with my wife."

"I think all of Camelot is in love with your wife, Sire." Leon imputed. "She is a wonderful and gracious Queen, there is no better."

"Quite right. But enough of that, I believe Galahad and Tristan were next." Arthur changed the subject.

"No family here either, Sire, save each other. Not anymore at least. Our parents were killed when the Saxons attacked our home." Said Galahad.

"We've been farmers all our lives. Our parents and their parents as well." Tristan added. "We had never known another life. It was difficult moving to the city, having nothing and no way to make a living."

"But you did, make a living that is?" Merlin asked.

"Only thanks to Lancelot and Gwaine. They found us living on the streets and convinced us to enlist when they learned that we could handle a sword." Galahad continued. "We were the only protection on our farm so we taught ourselves to fight. Gwaine and Lancelot enhanced what we'd already learned, as did the army, and the income was enough to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table."

"It used to not even be enough for that." Arthur admitted. "My father paid his soldiers a pittance at best, and drafted them left, right and centre. It was one of my first actions as King to improve the conditions of those risking their lives for Camelot."

"You've done much good since taking the throne that the people never thought would happen." Said Bors. "We are indebted to you, Your Grace."

"And what of you and Dagonet?" Arthur asked, nodding in acknowledgement of Bors' words but saying nothing. "Any family?"

"Wife and children for us both, Sire."

"Well, wife and _child_ for me." Dagonet said with a laugh. "Bors here has…you know I don't even remember. What was it at last count, Bors?"

"Eight." He grunted.

"You mean nine don't you?" Dagonet teased. "Is Vanora not again with child?"

" _Nine_ children?!" Merlin gasped, though the others looked quite surprised as well.

"Aye." He grunted again. "Hoping for another girl this time actually. Got six sons already." No one knew what to say save Merlin, who turned to Arthur.

"Well there's a goal for you and Gwen. Six princes for the kingdom."

"Yes we'll get right on that, Merlin." The King responded sarcastically. "Once I can sleep through the night again." He added quietly, though the others still heard him.

"I hate to be the one to tell you, Sire, but that is never going to happen." Said Bors matter-of-factly. "I haven't slept proper since the first one was born twelve years ago."

"Your oldest is twelve years old? But you can't be that much older than us." Leon said.

"I'm eight and twenty." He answered. "Was only sixteen when Vanora got pregnant that first time."

"That and when you were forced to marry the wench." Dagonet added with a laugh. "As Bors tells it he got a bit carried away while sowing his oats as a lad. When Vanora named him her babe's father, _her_ father promised to run Bors through if he didn't do right by his daughter."

"Best decision I've ever let myself be forced into." Bors said, smiling fondly at the thought of his wife and children.

"I should like to meet your wife and children one day." Arthur said. "Both of yours." He added, directing his words to Dagonet.

"Besides, with all those children there must be one who's around William's age. When he gets a bit older it would do well for him to have a companion his own age."

"Like I was for you." Said Merlin. "Just think, William and one of Bors' sons could be just like me and you one day."

"Not possible I'm afraid. No one is as annoying as you, Merlin."

"I'm wounded, truly, I don't know how I'll recover."

"Well you can think on it as you help me out of my armour." Arthur said as he stood, the others standing as well out of respect when their King did, all except Merlin of course.

"You do know I'm not your manservant anymore right?"

"Yes, but you shall be acting the part tonight."

"What happened to George? I thought he was the most efficient servant to ever exist."

"Yes, but I would never subject George and his delicate sensibilities to war."

"Oh but you have no problem subjecting me to it?"

"You have no delicate sensibilities, Merlin. In fact, you have no sensibilities at all, delicate or otherwise. So come on. Let us see if a year without doing any real work has made you forget everything. And if it has rest assured that George can re-teach you when we return to the castle." Arthur bade his Knights goodnight and made for his tent.

"No real work?" Merlin gasped indignantly, still not having moved from his spot.

"Should you not get going, Merlin?" Percival asked as he and the others tried not to laugh.

"Forget about my memory what about his? It's as if he doesn't remember I've been following him around the kingdom, fighting an evil sorceress, finding out I'm The Last Dragonlord and protecting Camelot as our illustrious King demands of me." Merlin continued to rant. "Well he can just wait until I'm good and ready to see to him. That's _if_ I feel like it." Merlin settled back getting more comfortable as he took another bite of his stew, only to fall backwards off the log that was his chair when Arthur's loud voice took him by surprise.

"MERLIN!"

 **oo00oo00oo**

The following morning dawned bright and far too early for most. Although they had Merlin's assurance that nothing could enter the camp without them knowing many had still slept little, too on edge to truly sleep. No alarm had sounded throughout the night and so either no surprise attack had been planned, or they had discovered the warning spell and had decided against it without being able to surprise their enemies. This put everyone even more on edge for they knew that the Saxons and Morgana were not an honourable bunch, and so if not a surprise attack in the night they wondered what they had planned. Still, even though they suspected treachery the monarchs leading their men into battle had them roused and ready to go not long after the sun was up, while those unable to fight had given strict orders to obey the other monarchs. Once all were ready, Annis, Rodor and Alined bit them goodbye as Arthur, Cenred, Odin, Bayard and Godwyn rode at the front of the combined armies and led their men into battle. It did not take long to reach the site that had been named for the battle though the site before them brought them up short. There was no one. Neither Morgana or Mordred, nor one single man graced the field that lay before them.

"Where are they?" Arthur asked no on in particular.

"I cannot see them running scared." Said Cenred.

"Most assuredly not." Godwyn agreed.

"Look!" Odin cried, pointing to the top of Badon Hill where a lone figure had appeared.

"Morgana." Merlin breathed, having ridden up next to Arthur when they had stopped marching. They watched in silence as Morgana raised her arms and shouted some words. Immediately the sky went dark and a terrifying scream reverberated from all around them.

"Merlin what's happening?"

"I don't know." He admitted, looking around for any signs of Morgana's magic, save the darkened sky.

"Well can you find out?!" Arthur demanded.

"Working on it." Another scream was heard, this time followed by white smoke manifesting. Merlin, the monarchs, and the entire army watch as it took on the shape of a skeleton and surged forward, passing through the nearest soldier before letting out another shriek and disappearing. Arthur was off his horse and halfway to the soldier before the man had even hit the ground. When he reached him it was to find the man's face frozen in one of terror while the rest of his body was simply frozen, his skin having turned rock hard and ice crystals having formed.

"He's dead." Arthur said unnecessarily. He attempted to close the man's eyes but they were frozen open. This lack of respect for the dead was the final straw for Arthur. When he stood his own face had morphed, though into one of pure fury. "Merlin!" he growled.

"It's the Dorocha." The mage said, his fearful tone of voice doing nothing to alleviate anyone's worries, nor did the scream that again sounded throughout the field.

"And?"

"They are known as The Shadow People. They're the voices of the dead that can enter our world at night."

"Explaining why Morgana turned day into night." Bayard surmised.

"They cannot survive under the sun's rays, nor against fire, it's their only weakness." Another scream was heard and three more Dorocha appeared and passed through soldiers before anything else could be said.

"Light the torches, the arrows!" Arthur shouted the command, it being passed along through the army by the other monarchs and every man who heard it. "Fire is their weakness, use it to protect yourselves! Until we figure out how to defeat them for good." He added to Merlin, hoping his Court Mage had a plan.

"We can't defeat them." He said the words Arthur did not want to hear. "But we can return them to the Spirit World." He added before Arthur could get up in arms and shout at him. "For them to pass through, the Veil between our world and theirs has to have been opened. I can close it, but not until Morgana is defeated or at least greatly weakened so that she may no longer use her magic to keep the Veil opened."

"And if any remain in our world once this Veil is closed?" Odin wondered.

"The Dorocha return to the Spirit World when fire or sunlight touches them. They will continue to return to our world as long as the Veil is open, but they cannot once it is closed."

"So we close the Veil and then return any Dorocha that remain to the Spirit World." The plan seemed simple, though it never was. More screams were heard as Dorocha appeared. Some were lucky and were able to defend themselves with fire, while others did not succeed. One Dorocha appeared before Arthur and came his way though Merlin pushed him aside and raised his hand to send a fireball at the Dorocha; however, nothing happened, and the Dorocha passed through him.

"Merlin!" Arthur cried seeing his friend fall. He ran to his side fearing he worst, having seen what happened to the others. "Merlin don't you dare be dead." The King both begged and threatened.

"I-I-I'm n-not." He said, his teeth chattering, for although he was not dead, he cold certainly affected him. Arthur let out a bark of laughter as he clapped his friend on the shoulder.

"The Immortal Mage." Cenred murmured, he and the others a bit in awe for it surely would have killed anyone else.

"M-my m-magic didn't w-work."

"We can see that. But why?" Arthur asked has he held a torch close to Merlin, allowing it to warm him.

"I d-don't know."

"This isn't working, Sire." Percival said as he, Leon and the newest Knights rushed over. "There are too many of them and not enough fire to go around." More screams were heard as they, and the appearance of the Dorocha became more frequent. When he heard Leon's words, Merlin pushed himself into a sitting position.

"Careful!" Arthur chastised.

"I c-can help."

"Didn't we just establish your magic isn't working right now?"

"There's o-one bit of magic t-that will n-never fail me." Merlin closed his eyes for a moment and gathered all his strength about him. A roar built up in him and he looked to the sky as he once again called on his birthright. " _Dragon! Imala! Sungente gumenta! Keshophanekes!"_ Silence followed his call, not even the Dorocha appeared. Arthur, Leon, and Percival all knew what was coming and looked to the sky alongside Merlin. Although the others knew of Merlin's birthright as The Last Dragonlord, none alive save those three and Gwen had even witnessed this power. After a minute or two when nothing happened, the screams of the Dorocha were heard again. However, their screams also masked the sound of wings flapping, and when the Dorocha again appeared they were met with dragon fire. Both Kilgharrah and Aithusa had answered the Dragonlord's call. Having thought dragons to be extinct, the reaction throughout the army was quite strong, though not unwelcoming as each dragon took up positions on either end of the army, taking out the Dorocha the moment they appeared. Kilgharrah had landed near Merlin and with a quick word saw everyone backing away from the warlock. The Great Dragon breathed deep and unleashed his hot breath upon the Dragonlord. Merlin felt his weakness fade and his body thaw under the dragon's heat.

"Thank you." He said as he stood, his strength now returned to him.

"You are welcome, young warlock."

"He talked." Godwyn muttered. "The dragon talked."

"That is Kilgharrah, The Great Dragon." Leon explained as if nothing else need be said.

"I don't have any magic." Merlin said frantically to Arthur, working himself into a panic. "My magic isn't working, I can't defeat Morgana, or close the Veil."

"Calm yourself, young warlock." Kilgharrah said.

"Calm myself? Did you not hear that I have no magic?!"

"You always have magic Merlin, it is as much a part of you as your life's blood, it cannot be taken from you so long as you live."

"But-"

"The Veil to the Spirit World requires much magic to keep it open and will use the magic of any being around to do so, not just the magic of the one who opened it." The Great Dragon explained. "The Veil has been channelling your magic without you even knowing it, but you can stop it, Merlin, you can stop the flow of magic from yourself to the Veil. When you do so you will be able to use your magic again, and the witch will find it hard to keep the Veil open without your help."

"And that should be enough time to lift her spell, to bring daylight back, and when the sun shines again the Dorocha will have to return to the Spirit World, they cannot survive in sunlight." Kilgharrah nodded his head, glad that Merlin had worked it out for himself.

"I hate to ask for your help once again…"

"But you have it. I said I would help you where I could, so long as it is not beneath a dragon's dignity." He reminded Merlin of his penchant for riding dragons like horses. A scream sounded nearby as another Dorocha appeared, though Kilgharrah breathed but a tiny ball of flame and saw it disappear. "Do what you must, young warlock. I will protect your friends until you are once again able to do so yourself."

"Thank you." Merlin said once more before taking off at a run to stand at the base of the hill and stare up at Morgana. He knew no attack would come from her, not while she used all her magic to keep the Veil open, and knowing also that the Dorocha were not fatal to him, Merlin felt quite comfortable closing his eyes and searching inside himself for the leak in his magic the Veil had created. It did not take long to find and he was quick to seal the leak and reclaim his magic. His eyes opened, glowing gold, in time to see Morgana stumble under the pressure of keeping the Veil open by herself, though he himself wasted no time but spoke the words that would see the return of the sun. It was not a gradual return but a rather sudden one, a blinding light emanated from Merlin and flew into the sky, the screams of the Dorocha instantly stopped as the light blasted outward covering the sky as far as the eye could see and destroying Morgana's false night. With the Dorocha returned to the Spirit World, Merlin hastened to cast his magic once more, overpowering Morgana's and sealing the Veil shut, hopefully for good. He then once again turned his sights on Morgana who was staring at him with a mixture of fear and pure loathing.

"You cannot win, Morgana." He called to her as he began to ascend the hill. He was not even halfway up when he noticed movement in the corner of his eye and turned to see the Saxon army move on the attack. They had been there the entire time, hiding just around the hill, waiting for Morgana's scheme to succeed or fail. The disappearance of the Dorocha was clearly the signal to attack, and they ran at full speed towards the army of Albion. Kilgharrah and Aithusa took to the sky, swooping low over the Saxons and unleashing their fire as they flew to the top of the cliffs a ways away; they had given their help, more so by taking out some Saxons as they took their leave, but this was not their battle. Merlin paid enough attention to see that they landed on top of the cliffs, still visible though outside of the battlefield, as if they were waiting for something, before he turned his attention back to Morgana.

"We meet again, Emrys." She had regained enough strength to stand by the time Merlin had reached the top of the hill, though it was clear she was still weak.

"You speak as if we are mere acquaintances. We grew up together, Morgana. You were my friend, my sister even, until you betrayed us." This was the first chance he'd truly had to speak with her since her betrayal those months ago. They'd spoken a few words on the battlefield before, but Merlin was intent on actually getting some answers from her this time.

"Camelot is my birthright! It is my kingdom and I will not see the son of Uther destroy it!"

"You see Uther in Arthur when he is not there. Arthur is nothing like Uther, you yourself have admitted this many times. And how do you figure Camelot is your birthright? Even if you are of Uther's blood, you are neither the first-born, nor a boy, nor legitimate. The throne of Camelot is _Arthur's_ birthright. It passes to a son before a daughter and not only is Arthur that son but he is older than you, and he was born to Uther's wife, not someone he had a dalliance with." Merlin's voice was hard and unforgiving, though he softened it now as he begged Morgana to explain her actions to him. "What happened, Morgana? You are speaking words that until not even a year ago would never have left your mouth, let alone entered your head. Where is this thinking coming from? Why does it make sense to you?"

"I don't have to explain myself to the likes of you!" She sneered and thrust her hand forward, knocking him back though he was quick to recover.

"Then you leave me no choice." He murmured sadly. Raising his arms, Merlin began casting his magic. The wind picked up and grew stronger and stronger until a twister had formed, heading right for Morgana. The sorceress tried to stop him, but her magic was still weak from maintaining the Veil and the twister blew right through her meagre shield, sending her flying down the hill. She landed hard on the ground, crumpled in a heap with blood trickling down her forehead, completely still. Merlin nearly shed a tear for his lost friend but the sounds of battle stopped him; Morgana had brought his war down on Albion, she was responsible for the deaths of many. Turning now to the battle that was making its way up the hill as the armies fought, Merlin searched for Arthur, quickly locating him halfway up the hill, surrounded by Saxons. Merlin did not think. He raised his hand and once again the sky darkened, though this time not by an unnatural night, but as storm clouds blew in. When he'd harnessed enough of the storm, Merlin threw his hand in the direction of the Saxons that had his King surrounded and unleashed a chain of lightning. The fist blast saw the Saxons Arthur was fighting fall, the second and third blasts saw the larger groups of Saxons meet their end as well. Having used a great deal of magic in a short period of time, Merlin let his magic fade and the storm clouds withdrew. When they were gone and the sun was once more shining, Merlin noticed that that entire battle had stopped and a hush had fallen over both armies. All eyes were directed at Merlin, or, he supposed, at something behind him for Arthur's eyes did not meet his but appeared to be looking over his shoulder. Merlin turned and saw a sight that had not been there moments before. At the very top of Badon Hill, stood a large stone with a golden hilted sword that glittered in the sun sticking out of it. The Sword in The Stone was known to all of Britain as part of the legend of The High King. Seeing with their own eyes the proof of the legend, it was not surprising that the battle had stopped; if The Sword in The Stone had appeared, The High King would be revealed, just as The Lady of the Lake had predicted. Suddenly, movement caught Merlin's eye and he saw Mordred break away from his men and dash up the hill, intent on reaching the sword. Arthur instinctively ran after him though he was too late. Mordred's head start had given him enough time to reach the top of the hill and grasp the sword in both hands, pulling with all his might. However, the sword did not budge, a fact that brought relief to all of Albion as they saw that without a doubt, Mordred was not The High King.

"It's over Mordred!" Arthur yelled. "The stone does not yield the sword to you. You are not The High King of legend and you will never rule over Britain!" Mordred's face took on an ugly sneer in his anger at the truth of Arthur's words.

"If I cannot be The High King, then no one can!" Raising his own sword, Mordred charged at Arthur who raised his in enough time to parry the blow. The two fought hard, unaware that the battle had not resumed nor that the other Kings of Albion had approached, intent on trying to remove the sword now that Mordred had failed. Eventually Mordred was able to land a lucky blow to Arthur's arm, causing Camelot's King to cry out in pain, while the few seconds the blow had distracted Arthur for was enough for the Saxon King to disarm his opponent.

"It's over for you, Arthur Pendragon!" Mordred spat triumphantly as he raised his arm to deal the fatal blow. Merlin too raised his arm, though to defend his King, but it proved unnecessary. Acting on pure instinct, Arthur spun quickly to avoid the blow and reached for the nearest weapon. Vaguely aware of the pulse of light around him, Arthur used his momentum and swung the sword, bringing it forward and impaling Mordred. The Saxon King's mouth dropped open and his eyes showed surprise, but there was no time for anything else as he fell to the ground, feeling his life leave him. Arthur did nothing for a moment but stare at his fallen enemy. Eventually though, he turned his mind to the battle he thought still going and looked out over the field, only to be met with every single pair of eyes on him, all filled with awe. Wondering what the hell was going on Arthur followed a time-tested practice and turned to Merlin for answers. Although he looked tired, Merlin radiated pure joy as he stared on his friend and slowly sank to his knees.

"I knew it was you." He murmured.

"Knew what, Merlin?" He received his answer, though indirectly, as the Kings of Albion too sank to their knees, closely followed by every man on the field, even the Saxons. Arthur looked to them confused for a moment before looking down at the sword in his hand. He had never seen a more beautiful weapon, nor one that was so perfectly suited to him. Knowing that it was not his own weapon he had grabbed and that none of the swords anyone else was using could even come close to comparing, Arthur turned and looked to the stone of legend. It now stood alone, the sword that moments ago had been stuck deep was gone. Looking to the sword he held once again the realization of what this meant caught up to him.

"Long live The High King!" The cry was heard by every man and in every corner of the field, and their responding cheer drew Arthur's attention back to the kneeling people before him.

"Long live The High King!"

* * *

 **A/N - Yes, it was Arthur who pulled the sword from the stone and claimed Excalibur, I was never going to venture so far from the legends so as to change _that._ Back to Camelot next chapter!**


	13. The High King and Queen

_Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.  
_

* * *

 **Chapter 13 – The High King and Queen**

* * *

Gwen stood staring out the window of the royal chambers with William clutched in her arms. They'd received word two days ago that the battle had been won and Gwen had barely left her place by the window as she waited for her husband. Unlike the last two days, however, it seemed that her patience finally paid off for two men at arms raced into the courtyard and quickly dismounted before continuing their race into the castle. As quickly as she could without jostling her son, Gwen hastened to meet them in the presence chamber. If the men were surprised to see their Queen enter carrying the babe herself, and not only that but with neither maid nor nurse following her, they hid it well as she took a seat still holding William close.

"What news to you bring?" Gwen wasted no time.

"The King rides for the castle, Your Majesty, not two hours away."

"And those with him?"

"His Excellency, The Lord Mage, as well as The First Knights were also spotted, My Lady." Gwen breathed a sigh of relief knowing that while there would be many casualties, her husband and dearest friends were safe.

"Thank you for coming so swiftly. Please go-" She cut off as the doors swung open and Nan, and Sefa ran in. "Perfect. Sefa please see these men get some food and a place to rest." Sefa nodded and led the men out as the nurse came forward.

"You had us worried, Gwen. We left for not five minutes and you disappear on us!" Nan had to qualms bout scolding her former charge.

"I'm sorry, Nan." The Queen apologized, handing her son to her old nurse, who also acted as his for the time being, as neither Arthur nor Gwen had found a proper nurse that they liked or trusted enough. "But Arthur returns this day! I must find Hunith and have everything prepared for his arrival." Leaving William in capable hands, Gwen went off to find the Head Housekeeper. With preparations underway it did not take long for word to spread. The royal guests of the other monarchs who had remained behind were just as excited to see their husbands, fathers, and mother, return and Gwen and Hunith were quickly joined by Mithian who helped out in any way she could, knowing the castle well from the previous winter. The entire court along with the visiting royals, were all gathered in the throne room when Arthur led his Knights, Merlin, the other monarchs and their advisors inside. Gwen awaited Arthur proudly on dais and gladly accepted the kiss he offered her. A few moments were taken as the other monarchs greeted their families as well, allowing for Arthur to take his son into his arms.

"He was being fussy." Gwen explained the baby's presence for they were usually never included in any adult gatherings. "I think he wanted to welcome his victorious father home as well."

"Or perhaps the commotion that our imminent arrival no doubt made unsettled him." Arthur went with the more likely reason.

"I like my version better." Gwen muttered. "In either case I wanted him here, stuff tradition and whether or not 'it is done.' " She raised an eyebrow at Arthur, daring him to disagree with her.

"As do I, sweetheart. As you said we must forge our own way, and we will. Including where it concerns our son and where and when it is appropriate for a babe to be present." Gwen smiled and kissed her husband once more before the two turned to the gathered crowd, only then becoming aware that they had an audience. Arthur cleared his throat in embarrassment but still made no move to relinquish his son, waving away Nan who stepped forward to take her charge.

"There will be a time for celebration and speeches, but it is not now." Arthur said. "We are all tried and dirty and I am certain I speak for one and all when I say we would love nothing more than a bath and to seek our beds."

"All is ready for just that. You may retire to the chambers you had previously where the servants await to attend you." Gwen added. While relief was seen on the face of everyone who had just returned from war, none of the monarchs moved, and so no one else did either.

"Before we retire, we wish to formally acknowledge you, Sire." Rodor said, stepping forward. His address of Arthur drew some gasps, from Gwen included. Rodor had not merely addressed Arthur respectfully, as if on the same level as his fellow king, but rather as if Arthur was his liege lord.

"That is not necessary." Arthur tried to say.

"Oh but it is." Annis spoke up. "And all of Albion is in agreement."

"I do not recall agreeing to anything." Arthur murmured.

"That is because you were not consulted as you have no say in the matter." Annis teased in response. Regardless of his new status, Arthur was still Arthur, he had made that quite clear.

"What is she talking about?" Gwen asked her husband.

"We speak, Your Majesty, of the allegiance we offer The High King." Godwyn spoke. This statement received more gasps and Gwen tried to control her shock as she looked to Arthur for an explanation. None was forthcoming from him and so Alined, of all people, stepped forward.

"The ancient prophecy concerning The True King of All Britain came true on the battlefield at Badon Hill. The Sword in The Stone revealed itself, and Arthur pulled the sword out." Alined had been one of the staunchest opponents to The High King, or rather more to the thought of giving up his throne, but it seemed that not even he could deny Arthur's destiny. The High King in question sighed as he handed William to his mother and reached for the sword at his hip. A shimmer of light ran over the sword as he grasped it and it changed before their eyes, becoming the golden hilted sword he had wielded in battle.

"Excalibur." Gwen murmured. "The Lady of the Lake's power. Any sword in the hand of The High King is Excalibur." Arthur nodded and re-sheathed the sword, the shimmer of light appearing once more as the sword returned to the blade that he had pulled from the stone.

"We offer our allegiance, High King Arthur." Cenred said as he and the other monarchs knelt before him, their family and retinues, and Camelot's court, following their example until all bowed before The High King. Although Arthur wanted to tell them to rise and refuse their offer, he knew that had The High King been revealed to be another, he would have been kneeling there himself, for had he not sworn to offer allegiance to The High King?

"I humbly accept your offer." He spoke softly, though his voice carried. "We shall discuss this in detail at a later date, though I will say this: little will chance in regards to the governance of Britain." Surprise registered on the monarchs' faces at his words. "You know your kingdoms and your people, not I. I will accept the title of High King of Britain so long as you remain Kings, and Queen, under me." He was met by rather blank stares and so elaborated. "Continue to run your kingdoms as you have. If an issue arises which will affect all of Britain, or should you require aid, or wish to involve me on a matter, then, and only then, will I be included. There will be a unity and a peace in this land like never before seen, but daily governance shall not fall to me, I shall rely on you in this matter." Silence followed his impromptu speech as the monarchs of Albion became aware of what it meant. Here was Arthur, accepting his place as The High King in the ancient prophecies, but without grabbing at the power given to him. Instead of disbanding the other royal houses and declaring all of Britain as his, Arthur was allowing not only their royal status to remain, but their king and queenships. There was little doubt in anyone's mind that this was exactly why the ancient prophecies decreed that Arthur was The High King. Anyone else, even one of them, would have grasped the power with both hands without hesitation, yet Arthur rejected it. His goal was peace, quite clearly and with no strings attached; he wanted none of the power or extra bits being offered him.

"As you said, we shall hash out details at a later date." Annis said, seeming to be the only one able to speak. "But we graciously accept your terms, My King. We would be both ungrateful wretches and utter fools to do otherwise." Her pride in the man she now called her King was evident. She was the first to pledge herself and the kingdom of Caerleon as vassal to The High King and Camelot, though the others were quick to follow.

"We will, of course, make this official." Rodor said. "A celebration for the end of the war, and a coronation for our new High King. And his High Queen." He added with a respectful nod to Gwen. The two high monarchs in question nodded back and made their exit as quickly as possible, citing their now sleeping son as an excuse. Once they were returned to their rooms, Gwen put William down and helped Arthur remove his armour so he may make use of the bath she had prepared for him.

"We never recovered Morgana's body." Arthur confessed suddenly as Gwen ran a cloth over his back, cringing at the numerous bruises she saw there.

"What?" Her hand stilled as he said that.

"Neither hers, nor Mordred's."

"Why not?"

"When we went to bury the dead, they were not there."

"What?" She asked again.

"They had simply vanished."

"How is that possible?"

"I don't know." Gwen was silent for a moment, and resumed washing his back.

"Do you think…could they still be alive?"

"I don't see how. I ran Mordred through, right in his chest, no one could survive that wound."

"And Morgana?"

"Merlin hit her pretty hard. He said he didn't think she could have survived."

"He thinks? So he's not certain. She might still be alive."

"It's very unlikely. And if she is she will certainly think twice about coming after us again. Especially now that The Lady of the Lake's power cannot be hers."

"I knew it was you." Gwen said, smiling softly and changing the topic for now.

"Merlin said the same thing."

"Well, we knew the same thing, he and I. That it could only be you, there is no one more dedicated to peace than you, Arthur. Who else could it be?"

"I am not so certain I share your optimism, sweetheart."

"Why?" When he didn't immediately answer Gwen put the cloth down and came around the tub to look him in the eyes. "Arthur Pendragon, you have strived for peace in this land since before you even became King. You unwaveringly said you would give up your crown to support The High King in his quest for peace. Do not tell me that you falter now that The High King has been revealed to be you."

"Well, when you put it like that…"

"That is the only way to put it, Arthur. Your goal has not changed. Only now you possess the power to actually ensure it happens, instead of putting your hopes on another." Arthur smiled softly and reached out to grasp her hands.

"With your unwavering belief in me, Guinevere, how can I falter?"

"You can't." She replied with a smile of her own.

"Not with you by my side, at any rate." Leaning over he gave his wife a kiss. "With all my heart, Guinevere. With all my heart."

 **oo00oo00oo**

The following weeks passed by in a blur given the rate at which things happened. The other monarchs returned home to see to their kingdoms before journeying back to Camelot to see their High King crowned as such. Given the number of dead to be buried and honoured, the families to see taken care of, and all other aspects of the aftermath of war it was near on two months when they returned, bringing with them provisions and gold to ensure it was a lavish affair. The capital of Britain, as Camelot had been decreed, was a hive of activity as preparations were made. Arthur and Gwen were reminded of their previous coronation, a thought which still amazed them for they never thought to have more than one coronation, though on a much larger scale. During this time the details Arthur had spoken of were discussed and it was as he had previously said. Each kingdom would retain their borders but would now be regions of one kingdom instead of nine separate ones. The monarchs would retain their positions of power within their regions as well as their titles as kings and queen, though it was agreed, at much insistence by the seven other monarchs, that their children and grandchildren would never assume those titles, remaining forever princes and princesses. Arthur tried to assure them it was not necessary but they insisted, not wanting the lure of being a king or queen, and the power that accompanies it, to cause their peace to be disrupted should one of their descendants get it into their head that as a king or queen they had the right to rule their own kingdom, and so sought to break Britain apart once more. It was their hope that within a few generations both the people and their descendants would realize that the royal titles they possessed were merely ceremonial and that they could one day be dissolved, leaving House Pendragon as the only royal house of Britain.

It was quite surprising to see the change of attitude some of the monarchs had. Some had been quite vocal about not believing the ancient prophecies and that they would never willingly give up their throne. Yet here they were, doing not only that, but giving more than Arthur asked. None could explain it save that seeing Arthur standing there wielding Excalibur left them with no doubt that he was The High King, he would bring peace to Britain and they would stand behind him in this endeavour, even if it meant giving up their thrones. Hearing this Arthur wondered if The Lady of the Lake's power had done something to them to alter their minds. However, Merlin assured him that The Lady would never take away their free will. He said he would not be surprised if the strength of The Lady's good magic allowed them to see things more clearly and destroyed any barriers that stopped them from believing or filled them with greed, but their thoughts and beliefs would be their own and their actions as well; if they truly believed the prophecies to be false and did not wish to follow Arthur, then they would not.

Arthur accepted Merlin's explanation and so found himself once more about to be crowned. Giving the large number of people who wished to attend, this coronation had been moved to the castle courtyard, allowing for both the visiting royals, nobles and common folk to attend; even two dragons found a place to perch atop the castle ramparts to look down on this historic occasion. As Arthur and Gwen made their way down the makeshift aisle, both to be crowned at the same time, they felt hope for the future fill them. With Arthur's coronation, Britain would be united as one, and the peace they had all strived for would be that much closer. On either side of the aisle they were met by smiling faces. Their people, their friends, not one person seemed to be anything but overjoyed. As they reached the front, they heard the gurgling and unintelligible sounds of their son and neither could help but turn to look at the lad who was currently clutched in Mithian's arms. Nemeth's Princess had become a great friend of Gwen's and aside from helping her through the birth had helped nearly every day thereafter, the young Prince taking quite a liking to his godmother. Shooting the babe a smile, Arthur and Guinevere began to ascend the steps to the landing and knelt on the cushions before Merlin. The three friends looked to each other and it was only the seriousness of the occasion that stopped the jokes and insults Merlin and Arthur wished to hurl at the other given the reversal of positions. As Emrys, and given the current upheaval to re-arrange nine individual churches as one, Merlin had been elected to perform the coronation, though many clerical representatives from all the newly formed regions of Britain stood behind him, publically showing their support. New crowns had been made for them and seeing them again now both Arthur and Guinevere were thankful that they'd put their foot down and insisted on reasonably sized crowns. Others had wanted the crowns of The High King and Queen to be larger and more lavish than any others, and while the two had gotten their way on size, the gleaming gold and shining jewels that decorated them were certainly lavish. When Merlin settled the crowns on their heads the same weight of being rulers they had felt at their first coronation was there, though instead of a heavy weight that accompanied war, it felt much lighter knowing that peace awaited them. With their crowns firmly in place, Arthur and Guinevere took each other's hands and stood, slowly turning to face the crowd, who silently waited for their new High King to speak.

"Let every man, woman, and child bear witness that from this day all Britons will be united in one common cause!" Arthur was never one for speeches, and now was no different. Having said his piece he unsheathed his sword, Excalibur appearing in a shimmer of light, and held it aloft in silent promise that he would fight to achieve this goal. A roar went up throughout the crowd and Leon and Percival led Camelot's Knights in following their King's example, unsheathing their own swords and holding them up. Gwen smiled proudly and reached up to grasp the hilt alongside her husband as the unintelligible roar became cohesive.

"Long live The High King! Long live The High Queen!"

 **oo00oo00oo**

Four months passed in utter and blissful peace. It was the first time in the younger generations' lives that they were not at war, and those who were old enough to have been alive in times of peace had forgotten what it was like. As summer began to come to a close, Arthur began turning his sights on one of the most important days of the year as far as he was concerned: Guinevere's birthday. Like every one of her birthdays for the last few years, Merlin found himself summoned to the royal chambers, though unlike before it was quite early in the day and he was unsure why given Arthur now had a new manservant.

"Shh!" Arthur shushed Merlin when he yanked open the curtains separating the sleeping area from the rest of the room. In the quick look in he got, Merlin could see that both Gwen and William were still soundly asleep.

"What are you doing?" Merlin asked.

"I'm going to surprise her, breakfast in bed." Arthur whispered back.

"Oh, what a lovely thought." Merlin answered before grasping the curtains and pulling them shut again, preparing to leave.

"Where are you going?" Arthur yanked the curtains back open.

"Well you don't need me do you? In fact I don't even know why I'm here, you have George now for such things."

"George doesn't know Gwen's favourite breakfast." Merlin stared at him blankly.

"You're telling me that after a year George still doesn't know Gwen's favourite breakfast?" Arthur didn't answer but stared right back at the warlock unblinking.

"Yes." He finally said unconvincingly.

"I think you just don't want anyone else to see your soft side."

"You've got it all wrong, Merlin."

"Do I? Then let me summon George for you, won't take a minute."

"Alright!" Arthur hissed. "Alright, fine! George hasn't seen me like this. He's a great servant, far better than you ever were, make no mistake, but he's so stiff and such a stickler for propriety and decorum. I think he'd fall into a dead faint if I so much as suggested eating anywhere but at a table."

"I see." Merlin murmured, deciding if he was going to give Arthur a hard time still, or if he'd be nice and help out. The answer was an easy one.

"So again I ask, you don't need me do you? I mean, if _you_ are going to surprise her, it should be _you_ doing the work after all."

"Well I can't very well go and get the breakfast, can I? What if she wakes up and…panics?"

"Panics?"

"Just, go and get it alright?" Arthur ordered, closing the curtains and ending the discussion. Merlin shook his head but went to do as asked, deciding it was for Gwen's birthday and he wouldn't spoil it just to make Arthur look bad. When he reached the door Merlin heard the curtains open once more.

"Merlin, flowers, don't forget the flowers."

"Of course, it's the personal touch, nice." Merlin said with an eye roll. He returned sometime later to find Arthur holding one of the curtains open as he looked between the bed where Gwen still slept, and the door, waiting for Merlin to return. He took the tray without a word, snatching up a grape and popping it in his mouth.

"Thank you, Merlin. Oh, you're welcome Arthur, I didn't mind getting out of bed early for a job that's no longer mine." Merlin muttered to himself as he turned to leave.

"Merlin!" Arthur called him back quietly and Merlin wondered if he would finally get a thank you, only to be proven wrong. "Where are the flowers?" Merlin smacked his hand to his head, now remembering the flowers. Thankfully he was saved from answering as a groan was heard from the bed. Arthur whipped his head in Gwen's direction and motioned for Merlin to leave, pulling the curtains closed on his friend just before Gwen's eyes opened.

"Arthur." She said with a smile, seeing him standing there with a tray of food.

"Happy birthday, sweetheart."

"That is so sweet." She said as he came over and gave her a kiss as he placed the tray next to his wife.

"It's nothing." A bang was heard on the other side of the curtains, drawing Gwen's attention.

"Who's there?" Arthur demanded, trying to sound convincing, as if he did not already know. A moment later Merlin popped his head through the curtains and smiled. "Merlin! What are you doing in the…royal chambers?"

"I, uh, I came to wish The Queen a happy birthday."

"Well, maybe next time you'll be kind enough to knock."

"Y-yes, Sire." He said "And a very happy birthday to you, Your Majesty." He made to leave but Gwen stopped him.

"Merlin. Thank you." She said causing Merlin to laugh. Gwen was always so perceptive. With a glare from Arthur, Merlin finally escaped.

"It was my idea." Arthur defended.

"Mhmm." Was her only reply. Throughout the day Gwen could go nowhere without being stopped and wished a happy birthday. As touched as she was that her friends and the people cared so much, by the end of the day she was glad to have the excuse of needing to care for her son to find a moment alone.

"Oh! Lancelot, you startled me." She said as she entered the royal chambers, having not expected to see him.

"My apologies, Your Grace." He said, turning from the window where he had been gently bouncing William. "Alaria had to fetch some linens, she caught me in the corridor and asked me to stay with His Highness until she returned." He explained his presence.

"That's quite alright, you know you are most welcome." Gwen replied, moving further into the room. Upon his return from war, Arthur had introduced Gwen to the six newest Knights of Camelot, giving special attention to the man who had saved his life. The six had quickly integrated themselves into castle life, and had even penetrated the friendship their monarchs shared with Merlin, Leon and Percival. The five would always be very much like a family, but their new friends did not feel un-included. Alaria, William's new nurse, was even Dagonet's wife, both she and The Prince having taken to each other when first they met. Dagonet and Alaria's son, Lucan, was seven and had been helping his mother out at home with the wares she made for market. With Alaria's new post, Lucan now helped out in the castle doing odd jobs for Gaius who had taken the boy under his wing. Given their friendship, it was not uncommon for Lancelot or the other Knights to be seen in the royal chambers, and so after her initial shock, Gwen thought nothing of it.

"I do not believe I have had the chance to wish Your Grace a happy birthday."

"Well, you'd be about the only one left in the all of Camelot who hasn't it would seem."

"You've been ambushed have you, Your Majesty?"

"All day." She groaned though smiled happily as she reached for her son. "Hello there, my darling." The six-month-old Prince gurgled contentedly in his mother's arms as she walked to his cradle to put him down.

"I shall go now, Your Grace."

"Oh, Lancelot, do wait a mo-AH!" She cried as she turned quickly, stepping on a fallen toy and slipped. Lancelot reacted instinctively and caught his Queen before she fell, Gwen's arms coming up and around his neck.

"Are you alright, Your Grace?" He asked, pulling her up out of the mid-fall he'd caught her in.

"Yes, I-"

"Guinevere are you-" Arthur interrupted as he opened the door, coming in just in time to see Lancelot remove his hands from Gwen.

"Arthur, there you are." Gwen said, smiling at her husband.

"I couldn't find you, I was coming to see if you were already here. It is time to feed William." No matter how busy he was, no matter how much his friends teased him or tradition dictated he should not know such things, Arthur knew everything to do with his son, including how often the babe had to be fed.

"Yes, indeed it is." Arthur's eyes turned to Lancelot.

"I was keeping watch of The Prince while Alaria fetched some linens." He explained once again. "But now with you both here, I shall depart, Sire."

"Lancelot!" Gwen called before he could leave. "I was going to ask if you could find Gaius and ask him to send up some more of that salve for William. I fear his rash has returned." She directed the last bit to her husband.

"Of course, Your Grace." The Knight replied before taking his leave.

"What was going on when I walked in?" Arthur wasted no time in asking.

"What do you mean?" Gwen asked.

"He had his arms around you, Guinevere." Arthur's voice deepened, taking on a harder tone. Gwen raised an eyebrow and deliberately kept eye contact as she bent to pick up William's fallen toy, waving it at him.

"What do you think was going on?" Her own tone was not quite friendly, and Arthur recognized the warning signs.

"That you tripped?" He guessed, continuing when Gwen did not deny it. "And being the chivalrous knight that he is, Lancelot caught you." He ended with a sigh, hanging his hand in shame as he fell into a nearby chair. Gwen smiled and came over to her husband, taking a seat on his lap.

"That is exactly what happened, Arthur."

"I'm sorry." He murmured, softly, knowing she knew what he had been close to accusing her of. "I don't know how such a thought even crossed my mind."

"Neither do I." Gwen's tone was just as soft, but serious, truly wondering if Arthur could believe such a thing of her. "Do you really think me capable of committing adultery?"

"No." He answered without hesitation. "Stepping back I know that you are entirely incapable of such an act." She allowed him to continue, knowing this was as new a concept to him as it was to her. "I was…jealous. I have never been jealous before, not where you are concerned at any rate, but seeing another man with his arms around you, even for that brief moment…I was ready to kill him."

"Kill him?!"

"You are my wife, Guinevere. _Mine_. I admit I am being possessive, but I felt anger like never before at the thought of you with another man."

"That will never happen. You know I love you, Arthur. Only you."

"I do. Just as I hope you know that my love is only yours as well."

"Of course I do."

"Good. Then we shall say no more on the subject, confident as we are in our love." Gwen smiled and brought her lips down to his. Her gentle kiss had Arthur pulling her closer and demanding more, which Gwen was only too happy to give. However, they did not get very far as they were reminded they were not alone.

"Gwen." Arthur murmured against her lips when William's cries started up. "I have a confession to make."

"And what is that?" She murmured in return.

"I fear I was wrong when I said my love was only yours."

"Oh?"

"Yes. It is in fact split between two, you and our s-"

'Three." She interrupted. Arthur pulled back far enough to stare at her.

"What?" Came his intelligent reply.

"Three." She said again. "You said your love is split between two, but it is actually three." Arthur sat up properly as what she was saying took root in his head.

"You…you're…" He brought his hand to cover her belly and Gwen smiled, placing her hand atop his.

"I am." Arthur laughed and jumped up, taking Gwen with him and twirling her around the room. The noise of their happy laughter woke the young Prince further and his cries increased, demanding his parents' attention.

"Oh we're sorry, darling." Gwen cooed as she disentangled herself from Arthur and went to pick their son up. "We didn't mean to ignore you. And now we're late feeding you too." Gwen sat back down and opened her bodice, giving William access to his food source.

"Drink up, son." Arthur said, bending down and placing a gentle hand on the babe's head. "You need to grow big and strong, for you're to be a big brother! You'll have a little brother to follow you around and who you can teach to wield a sword when he grows, or a little sister to protect."

"Arthur!" Gwen scolded with a laugh. "He's only six months and you already have him wielding a sword, and chasing off boys."

"I'm merely excited." He said unrepentantly.

"As am I, but let us take this one day at a time, shall we?"

"You are right, of course. Ever the voice of reason when I get ahead of myself."

"And don't you forget it!" Arthur leaned up and gave her a quick kiss.

"As if you would let me." He replied. Gwen shook her head at him but smiled nonetheless as he settled down to watch his son.

* * *

 **A/N - For those of you who have seen _King Arthur_ (2004, (I also don't own that movie, shocker I know)) you'll recognize the line Arthur spoke after being crowned. You'll also recognize Lucan, and Vanora from last chapter as well as her and Bors having lots of kids. I did say I would be taking certain things from that movie as well as from other takes on Arthurian legend. **

**Also a bit of a Guinevere/Lancelot tease...make of that what you will.**


	14. The Golden Age

_Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.  
_

* * *

 **Chapter 14 – The Golden Age**

* * *

Five years passed without one drop of bloodshed, for peace reigned throughout Britain. Each of the former kingdoms settled easily into being mere regions of the united kingdom of Britain, the change made as easily as it was for it was exactly as Arthur had said, that little would change in terms of day to day life. The fact that the former monarchs of Albion kept their titles and positions was enough to appease their people. As for the Saxon territory, Arthur's uncle, Agravaine, had been asked to oversee it as warden of the northern most tip of Britain. He did so reluctantly, for he enjoyed his quiet life in the country, but also gladly knowing that Arthur needed someone he could trust unreservedly in that seat of power. The Saxon people themselves discovered that Arthur was nothing like their former King Mordred, but rather was a just and merciful ruler. The common people were almost given a blanket pardon with only very few exceptions for they had been following their King out of duty, and also having been lied to, both Morgause and Morgana having heralded Mordred as The High King of prophecy. The Saxon nobility, however, were much more scattered in their pardons. Some received them, others were banished from Britain, while Mordred's commanders who had known exactly what their King was after and intended were sentenced to death. Lord Agravaine oversaw the Saxons exactly as his nephew would and his kind yet firm hand saw them rebuild and find a place in this new Britain.

Within Camelot itself, Arthur found that he had much more time to oversee matters of the kingdom. Without the extra duties a war brought, there was no longer not enough hours within the day, but just enough; as High King he was certainly never idle, but he was no longer running himself ragged. This was a fact he was very happy for when in late winter the year after the Battle of Badon Hill Gwen gave birth to their second child, who was the daughter Arthur had hoped for. Princess Eleanor Ygraine Mithian Mable had her father wrapped around her little finger from the moment she was born, though he wasn't the only one. The young Princess had earned a special place in Percival's heart the first time she latched on to his finger with her tiny hand, and ever since he had declared himself her protector. Arthur was quite glad for the added protection for his daughter and happily assigned the First Knight as her guard whenever she ventured outside the royal chambers. Gwen deemed this overkill, knowing that her children were never alone and so within the castle itself should not need a personal guard, but raised no complaints knowing it made Percival happy. The scene of the big, burly First Knight carrying the tiny Princess, chasing after her as she grew and turning to mush under her pout was initially quite amusing, though quickly became a common sight, especially as Eleanor's father was just as much putty in her hands as Percival was.

William, for his part, took to being a big brother quite well, when his sister joined the family just over a month after his first birthday. Even at such a young age he was much kinder and loving towards his sister than Arthur remembered ever being towards Morgana. However, William proved to certainly be like his father in his love for mischief. As Arthur had predicted, Bors' youngest son, Royston, or Roy as he was commonly called, had been born within months of William and the two became inseparable just as Arthur and Merlin had been. The tricks they played as they grew rivalled The King and Court Mage's and although he stood by Gwen's side sternly whenever one of the pranks went too far and they scolded their son, Arthur was quietly proud of him. It had been decided that after Arthur's death the title of High King would be retired, for there was only one prophesised High King, the one who would unite the land, the ancient prophecies having never spoken of The High King's descendants. However, that did not mean that everything Arthur and everyone else had worked for would be dismantled, and so William was still the future King of Britain, not merely Camelot, and as such he began his studies early, with Roy by his side. Both fathers were even preparing to begin their training as knights shortly, much to their wives' chagrin who believed the boys to be far too young, regardless that they would soon the be same age as Arthur, Percival and Leon when they began their training.

During the last five years, Merlin had seen the last barriers to magic within Camelot dismantled, and as Emrys saw peace reign within magical Britain as their unofficial leader; every sentient magical being and creature having turned to Emrys unanimously after word of his power in the Battle of Badon hill spread far and wide. The biggest change in his life, however, was his marriage to Princess Mithian. After the rest of Albion declared Arthur their King, Mithian had almost immediately went to Merlin, citing that his one reason for not being with her, that she would one day be a Queen and ruler of her kingdom, was no longer valid. Merlin had protested and, in fact, downright refuted her claims. He said that regardless of the fact that she would now never be Queen of Nemeth, she would always be Princess of Nemeth and would one day take her father's place as warden, Queen in practice if not in name. Mithian had been heartbroken at his flat out rejection and had retreated to Nemeth for some months, until her friend's imminent labour recalled her, for she would not miss the birth of Gwen's second child. Those months had been hard on Merlin, for whether or not he claimed they could not be together he undeniably loved her. It also didn't help that both Arthur and Gwen knew why Mithian had run back to Nemeth and made their displeasure with him known; especially as Gwen grew increasingly hormonal the closer her time came and he had still not made amends with Mithian. Shortly after Eleanor's birth, and after overhearing that Merlin was just as miserable as she was, Mithian decided that enough was enough and pursued Arthur's Court Mage once more, this time publically.

Word quickly reached her father who had hastened to Camelot. He had conflicted feelings regarding his daughter's choice of suitors. That Merlin was not of noble birth could be overlooked due to current status as Court Mage and the prophecized Emrys. That he would be able to protect her was undeniable, his power being known throughout all of Britain, which was certainly a plus in his favour. However, his destiny by Arthur's side meant that either he or Mithian must give up their destinies, or live separately, for he could not be by Arthur's side, as well as Mithian's while she ruled Nemeth. Merlin latched on to that excuse and it was some months before Mithian was able to tear down his walls and reach the true reason for his continued refusal. Merlin finally admitted that he was scared. Scared that his position as Emrys would place a target on Mithian's head should someone decide to hurt her to get to him. Scared that she would resent him, or he her, if their marriage drew him from Camelot or her from Nemeth. Scared what his destiny meant, that perhaps one day it would conflict with his marriage and he would be forced to choose between Arthur and Mithian. Scared that being The Immortal Mage would mean he would have to watch her grow old and die then go on living eternity without her. Mithian had listened to his reasons calmly before asking him if part of his destiny included being unhappy in this life. Even Emrys could not know what the future holds, so for all he knew nothing he feared would come to pass and he was making them both unhappy for nothing. She then left him to think on what she had said which was how Arthur had found him. Merlin confessed all to his best friend as well, and Arthur, after listening quietly, had slapped him over the head and told him that he was being an idiot. Arthur told his friend that if he loved Mithian he should not let anything stand in his way, that he should bugger the ancient prophecies and forge his own destiny, and Arthur himself would never forgive him if he did otherwise.

With Rodor's blessing, given quite willingly after his daughter informed him in the plainest of terms that she would have no one else and he would be condemning her to a lifetime of unhappiness if he refused Merlin's suit, the two were wed in the fall of the second year of Arthur's reign as High King. To make things simple, Mithian had planned after her marriage to renounce her claim on Nemeth and have her father choose another heir; however, the people would not hear of it. They acknowledged their Princess' need to be with her husband but would have no other. As such, the son of Rodor's long time Steward, who was slated to become the Steward himself when his father passed, was given the task of handling things in Nemeth when Mithian was in Camelot. Given Nemeth's proximity to the capital, it being a mere day's hard ride or two at a luxurious pace, Mithian and Merlin agreed to spend one week a month in Nemeth while they remained in Camelot for the remainder. They would, of course, travel there more often should the need arise, as happened in the spring of the third year of Arthur's reign when continuous heavy rain flooded some of the lower lying villages. When word of the emergency was brought to Camelot, the two immediately set out with supplies and a contingent of men to help those in need.

Since their marriage, the only sadness either could confess to was the lack of a child. Gaius declared Mithian in perfect health and said there should be no reason for them not to be able to conceive, and to give it time. Alaria seconded Gaius' advice of time saying that it had taken over a year of marriage before she became pregnant with Lucan and had taken almost eight years after that before a second child was conceived. She had near given up after eight years, but it had happened and so told Mithian that, although not a short time, three years was too early to give up. Mithian and Merlin both took this advice to heart, though it was hard at times when their friends succeeded in having children and they did not. Aside from Dagonet and Bors, Leon and Tristan had also gotten married and had children. Leon had married Princess Elena of Gawant, the only daughter of King Godwyn. Unlike Mithian, who was her father's only heir, Elena had a younger brother who was to inherit and so had no such ties to hold her back from moving to Camelot permanently. The two had welcomed a baby girl, Sara, not quite a year ago. Tristan had married one of the healers in the city named Mary whom he had met when she'd patched him up after a particularly gruelling training session, and now had two sons, Alastair and Ewan. The new children were welcomed into the fold with open arms, Sara and Eleanor had become fast friends while Alastair followed William and Roy around constantly. Bors' other children as well as Lucan knew they were always welcomed, but given the age difference between them and the younger children they chose more often than not to go their own way. As for Ewan, who was, for now, the youngest at only a few months old, it appeared that he would soon have a companion as well, for Gwen was once again with child.

This news had been well received throughout Britain as news of another heir always was, and Gwen found herself being the centre of attention at the first meeting of The Round Table since the news was announced. The Round Table was an old tradition of the ancient Kings of Camelot. They believed in equality in all things and so held council at a round table so that no one stood above the others, not even The King. The practice of The Round Table had been lost many years ago during the time of Arthur's great-great-grandfather, but the knowledge of it had not and Arthur re-instated its use. The Round Table consisted of many people, including all those who had formed the Council when Arthur was first crowned, along with many new additions including Lancelot, Bors, Gwaine, Tristan, Galahad and Dagonet, who had earned their places from their deeds during the Battle of Badon Hill, as well as Mithian and Elena who offered much insight given their royal upbringings and the years of political training. The other former monarchs of Albion, and Agravaine, were also members of The Round Table though only appeared there several times a year for they remained in their own regions more often than not. This particular meeting of The Round Table was one such meeting with every member present, and as such, was quite the gathering.

"Your Highnesses, Councillors, noble Knights of Camelot, friends. I welcome you to this meeting of The Round Table. For five long years we have been blessed with peace and prosperity. As the fifth anniversary of the Battle of Badon Hill nears, we wish to celebrate. We shall declare a holiday, allowing the people a day of rest and celebration. We trust you will arrange the proper announcements and entertainments within your own regions." He was met by nods and so continued to describe the events Camelot would hold, particularly the joust to take place three weeks hence, before moving on to other matters of state. The meeting was long as these meetings always were, but everyone left quite happy, rather than frustrated or angry as had been common at Council meetings before the Battle of Badon Hill. Arthur and Gwen returned to their chambers, followed by Merlin and Mithian, where they would take dinner with their children, only to find someone there already.

"Sir Percival." Arthur called, trying to sound stern, though failing utterly at seeing the First Knight on the floor of the nursery, rolling a ball around with Eleanor. "If she were not still a babe I would be concerned about the amount of time you spend with my daughter."

"You're just jealous that she likes my company over yours." Percival scoffed. "Is that not right, Princess?" He reached over and tickled the little girl's stomach, eliciting a laugh.

"How did you even beat us here?" Gwen asked, not even trying to hide her amusement.

"You lot stopped to speak with King Rodor."

"For all of five minutes."

"It doesn't take that long to get here from the council chambers."

"So you rushed up here the moment the meeting was over?" Mithian asked. She, like Gwen, was quite amused by Percival's antics.

"Possibly." He admitted with a shrug. "I came to say goodnight."

"And ended up playing instead I see." Gwen now scolded, for Percival well knew that it was nearing Eleanor's bedtime.

"Well when she saw me she smiled with those dimples and held up her ball, looking at me with those big blue eyes." He tried to emulate the look, but only managed one that was quite comical. "How could I say no?"

"With practice." Arthur responded, coming over to pick up his daughter. "When you have one of your own you will no longer give in to the dimples and big eyes."

"Or tantrums." Gwen added.

"And this is why she likes her Uncle Percival's company more." Came the response as he stood up. Arthur scowled but otherwise said nothing.

"Say goodnight to Uncle Percival." He instructed the three year old.

"Night Percy." Having been unable to pronounce Percival when she began to speak, Eleanor had given him a nickname and it had stuck.

"Goodnight Princess." He responded, dropping a kiss to her head before taking his leave.

"He'd make a wonderful father." Gwen murmured sadly. It was known within their small circle of friends that Percival did not enjoy the company of women. It had been openly spoken about only once, and only between Arthur and Percival, when one of the lords tried to set Percival up with his daughter. They had all thought it a good match, and Arthur almost publically gave his blessing in an attempt to push them together even more, but was stopped only by Percival's confession. The two had talked of it for a while before Arthur conceded to his First Knight's wish that they drop the subject, though he had given Arthur permission to tell their friends. While scared of their reaction at the beginning, Arthur's quick acceptance gave Percival hope that the others would react similarly and was happy to see they did, none of them batting an eye nor making a comment, though he was certain they knew for he received a smile or clap on the shoulder full of meaning the next time he saw them. To his friends, he was still just Percival, though they knew that many would not see it that way and so it never left their circle. While they had accepted that Percival would never marry, though they suspected he had a lover somewhere, they did worry over him some, particularly given his love of children. It was one of the reasons they voiced no complaint when some days it seemed like he spent more time playing with their children, especially Eleanor whom he had bonded with, then he did in training or attending to his duties.

"Indeed." Mithian agreed. "Though he does make a wonderful uncle. And there are children out there who have lost their parents or are unwanted whom he could take in should he so desire."

"Don't think he's reached that point yet, but maybe one day." Said Merlin, wrapping an arm around his wife. The four made their way into the antechamber outside Gwen and Arthur's room. When William was old enough to sleep in the nursery they had added a door leading from the nursery, which was already next to their chambers, to the antechamber, allowing them to have easy access to their children, though still be separate.

"Yah!" the cries were heard as they entered the antechamber seeing William and Roy going at it with the wooden swords their fathers had given them. Alaria was attempting to stop them, though had practically given up, moving against the wall to stop from being hit.

"William Pendragon!" Gwen called sternly. The play fighting stopped instantly, both boys knowing that particular tone, a displeased mother with just a hint of The Queen for added effect, all too well. "What were you told when your fathers gave you those swords?" She addressed both boys.

"Not to use them inside." They recited.

"Exactly. Now give them to Alaria, you may have them back day after tomorrow."

"But mama!" The five-year-old complained, though did as directed.

"No buts! You know the rules, William, and that there are consequences for breaking them. Royston, your sword will be given to your father to take home and he and your mother may decide when you can have it back."

"My Lady you know they will stick to whatever punishment you set."

"Just as I do when you two get into mischief at your house, Royston. Vanora and I think too much alike sometimes." Which was entirely true. Both women were utterly against beating as a form of punishment, though they would not hesitate to take away their toys or give them chores to do. The first time the two had misbehaved at Vanora and Bors' house, Roy's mother had them peeling corn instead of playing without even realizing she had just punished The Prince. She had been somewhat scared when she accompanied Bors to bring William back to the castle that evening to tell The King and Queen what she had done only to find that they were quite amused by the prospect of their son peeling corn and were quite alright with it given the circumstances. Since then should the boys misbehave together any punishment given applied to them both, though it was understood that if the punishment extended to when the boys returned home their own parents had the right to change it as they saw fit. "Your father is in the entrance hall, better not keep him waiting."

"Yes, My Lady." He replied and followed Alaria out of the room.

 **oo00oo00oo**

The three weeks leading up to the joust passed by slowly as all within Camelot eagerly anticipated the event. Any who wished were invited to come watch, though only those who passed the testing the previous day were permitted to participate. Arthur had implemented this rule after watching one too many men be injured at an open joust when going up against a more experienced opponent. Gwen was seated in the royal box with Mithian and both her children when Arthur entered the lists.

"Mama, give papa my ribbon too!" Eleanor cried pulling at the ribbon that tied her hair back. Being unable to refuse that request Gwen undid her daughter's braid.

"My Lady." Arthur said as he held his lance out, resting it on the railing of the box, and waiting for Gwen to bestow her favour. Gwen smiled and stood, taking both ribbons with her and tying them around the end of the lance.

"You daughter gives you her favour this day as well." She explained the second ribbon. Arthur's face broke into a smile and he turned his attention to his daughter.

"My darling Princess." Eleanor clapped happily, and even William who sat beside her waved, excited to see his father joust.

"Joust well, husband." Gwen murmured as Arthur turned his attention back to her. He gave her a short bow and lifted his lance, riding off to his end of the lists. Gwen returned to her seat and helped her children cheer their father to victory, though it was quite a close call, having come down to him and Sir Gwaine.

"I fear all the excitement has bade me quite tired." Gwen said with a yawn when they all stood to depart the stands after the joust had ended.

"You should not overexert yourself when with child. Go rest." Mithian instructed. "Alaria and I can handle these two."

"I hardly call sitting in a chair all day overexerting myself."

"It has been an exciting day, and excitement alone can make one tired. Now go. If you want to be fresh for the feast this evening, you need sleep."

"Oh very well." Gwen said, though before leaving she bent down to hug her children. "Goodbye my darlings. Mama's going to rest a little, so will see you later. Be good for Alaria and Mithian." Both children nodded though neither appeared to be paying much attention as they had already begun to run in the direction of their father.

 **oo00oo00oo**

Arthur removed his gloves as he walked down the corridor on the way to his chambers. He was quite hot and sweaty and in desperate need of a bath before he could even contemplate attending the feast that evening. His mind on other things, Arthur did not hear a thing until he was nearly upon them.

"Oh, Lancelot." A voice moaned in pleasure, a sound he knew only too well that stopped him in his tracks. Unable to believe what he was hearing Arthur crept forward and flattened himself against the wall, though he could see down the next corridor enough to see two people partially concealed in the shadows. Arthur's breath left his body as they shifted enough in the light to reveal his wife, the woman he loved, pressed against the wall with one of his Knights, the man whom had saved his life, pressed against her, his hands roaming and his mouth devouring her neck.

"Wait." Lancelot said. "We're too open here, we could get caught. Arthur-"

"Suspects nothing." Guinevere replied as she pulled him closer. Arthur had seen enough. Feeling a terrible pain in his heart and a tear roll down his cheek, he turned and walked away from those who had betrayed him.

* * *

 **A/N - Some of you have been quite vocal about your desire for no Arthur/Gwen/Lancelot love triangle...all I ask is that you stow the pitchforks and torches until next chapter.**


	15. Le Morte d'Arthur

_Disclaimer: I do now own Merlin.  
_

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 **Chapter 15 – Le Morte d'Arthur**

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Arthur wandered aimlessly as he thought on what he saw; the betrayal of his friend, and especially his wife weighing heavily on him. He felt his anger rise the more he thought on it and he felt himself turning in the direction of the royal chambers. He stopped a passing servant along the way as a stray thought hit him.

"Cancel the feast tonight." He snapped.

"Sire?" The servant asked, surprised.

"I said cancel it!" He yelled as he walked on, though he stopped and turned back suddenly. "And have Lancelot brought to the throne room. Immediately!" He was barely aware of the servant acknowledging his command and scurrying away as he himself stalked off. Reaching the royal chambers Arthur banged the door open, drawing the attention of its inhabitants.

"Arthur!" Gwen said reproachfully as Eleanor yelped in fright at the noise.

"Leave." He said, pointing out the open door. "Alaria, take the children and leave. The Queen and I need to have a word in private." Confused, though recognizing this was a command not to question, Alaria did as commanded and took Eleanor and William by the hand, leading them out. Arthur shut the door behind them and leaned his head against it, taking a deep breath as he prepared for the discussion to come.

"Arthur? What is wrong?" Gwen asked, coming over and placing a hand on his shoulder, though he shook it off.

"How long, Guinevere?" He asked, finally turning to face her. "How long have you been going behind my back with Lancelot?" Gwen's face froze in one of shock.

"W-what?"

"I saw you today. The two of you, together in a deserted corridor after the tournament, your lips on his, talking about how I suspected nothing." His voice was thick with emotion as he stared Gwen down, though every word he said only confused her more.

"Arthur I wasn't in a deserted corridor today. After the tournament I came straight here to rest. I only awoke shortly before you stormed in, when Alaria brought the children." Arthur wasn't buying it.

"Oh, and can anyone confirm that? Did anyone witness you returning here and not leaving?"

"No, but Arthur, do you even hear yourself? How could you possibly think that I would ever betray you?"

"I didn't think it was possible, but I saw you with my own eyes!" His voice raised as he thought back to what he had seen.

"Really?" Gwen felt her anger rising as well at being accused of such a thing, though her tears betrayed her sorrow as well. "Well have you ever thought your own eyes could be lying to you? Because you know full well that I would _never_ betray you! Not in that way, not in any way! For some reason I can't remember at this moment, I love you, Arthur Pendragon, and you know that very well, yet still you insult me, and break my heart with your accusations!" Her show of anger and attempt to turn the tables on him was apparently exactly the wrong thing to say for it only enraged him more.

"I should have known you lied those years ago when you said that naught passed between you and Lancelot. It seems my instincts were right. You are hereby confined to these chambers until I am of a mind to deal with you in accordance with the laws of Britain." He said, his voice having gone deathly quiet. "Your lover, however, will be dealt with now." He moved towards the door.

"Arthur!" She cried going after him. "Arthur, don't you dare walk out on me now! Arthur! Arthur please!" Her shouts followed him as he opened the door and slammed it shut. She pounded on the door and continued to shout at him, the noise drawing the attention of two guards who rushed to see what was happening.

"Guard the door." Arthur ordered them. "The Queen is neither to leave nor receive visitors." The guards nodded to their King, though looked to each other, wondering if the other understood why they were being given this order, especially given the shouting and pounding still taking place on the other side of the door. "The Queen must rest." Arthur offered as a very brief explanation. Knowing, as the entire kingdom did, of The Queen's delicate condition the guards accepted that explanation and took their posts as Arthur made his way to the throne room. He entered and immediately made his way to his throne, briefly noting that Lancelot was already there, along with the other Knights of the Round Table. Taking a seat, Arthur slowly looked up upon his confused Knights, finally fixing his gaze upon Lancelot.

"You once saved my life, Sir Lancelot." He began.

"Uh…yes, Sire." The Knight said when Arthur remained silent too long, as if waiting for a reply.

"It is for this reason, and this reason alone, that I spare your life this day." Shock registered on all eight of the Knights faces.

"S-sire?" Lancelot gasped.

"You were spotted, Lancelot. You and Guinevere, in a deserted corridor…alone… _together_."

"What?! Sire I assure you-"

"Don't lie to me!" Arthur thundered, jumping up and stalking towards his former friend. "I saw you, you with your lips all over _my wife_!"

"My Lord-"

"Silence! There is naught you can say that will ever make me forget the sight of you wrapped around her!" Arthur was breathing heavily, staring Lancelot down with furious eyes. Lancelot's own were incredulous, unable to believe what he was hearing. Knowing there was no trace of his friend before him but rather every inch The High King, and not knowing what else to do, Lancelot sank to his knees.

"Sire, I swear to you that The Queen and I have not betrayed you in such a way, not betrayed you in any way. The Queen loves you, My Lord, that is clear for all to see, and I am but your humble servant, unworthy-"

"You can spare us your false humility, it suits you not." Arthur snarled, returning to his throne. "You are hereby stripped of your title and banned from Camelot, be grateful it is not from all of Britain. Should you return it is upon pain of death." Lancelot said nothing, while the other Knights looked like they wished to say a lot, though thought better of it at the moment. "You have one hour to pack and leave. Guards!" The doors opened at once at The King's command. "See Lancelot to his chambers, and ensure he leaves Camelot within the hour."

"Uh…o-of course, Sire." One of them said, though both looked as confused as everyone else. They came forward and flanked Lancelot who continued to stare at Arthur in shock, though there was no mercy in The King's eyes. When he took too long to stand, one of the guards clapped a hand on Lancelot's shoulder, prompting him into motion. When the doors closed behind them, the silence the other Knights had abided by disappeared.

"Arthur, what is the meaning of this?" Leon all but demanded.

"Careful that you do not forget yourself, Sir Leon." Came the snapped reply.

" _Sire_ ," The First Knight tried again, though he could not keep the sarcasm out of this voice. "What is this all about?"

"You cannot truly believe that either Lancelot or Gwen-or The Queen would betray you." Percival added, the others content to allow the two First Knights to do the speaking.

"I know what I saw, Sir Percival. They have indeed betrayed me." Standing, Arthur made his way to the door. "I shall be on the training field. Given The Queen's condition I must clear my head before I speak with her again." The Knights let him go, not knowing what else to say. When he was gone they looked to each other, each trying to make sense of this, though coming up short. Finally, Leon came up with a plan.

"Percival, go to The Prince and Princess, ensure that they are alright and stay with them until one of us comes for you. We don't know what is going on but whatever it is it is _not_ as Arthur says. Something is afoot." Percival nodded and ran off, leaving the others to Leon. "Gwaine, you and Dagonet go and speak with Lancelot. Stay with him as long as you can, but do not stop him from leaving; I fear in his current mind Arthur will do something he will regret if he hears Lancelot did not leave the castle. Ensure Lancelot knows to stay close by, but to stay hidden, ensure you know where he can be found, for when we get to the bottom of this he will be returning to Camelot." The two nodded and took off as well. "The rest of you are to find Merlin. Tell him what's happened and send him to Arthur at once; I don't care what he's doing, this is more important. I shall go to The Queen and hear her side of this tale." The plan set, the rest left the throne room and took off in their respective directions. Leon ran all the way to the royal chambers, finding the two guards outside and getting angry when they would not let him inside.

"Let me pass!" The First Knight ordered, his hand going to his sword while his face was set in a glare that had lesser men running. These two clearly wished they could do just that, but found the courage to hold their ground knowing they had orders from the one person no one could overrule.

"Our apologies, Sir Leon, but it is The King's orders." Leon growled but as they knew could do nothing to supersede his King.

"Fine. If I cannot go in, then I shall speak here." Reaching passed them he banged on the door. "Your Majesty!" Although they were certain The King would not approve, the guards had no direct orders to not allow anyone to speak through the door and so decided to not intervene.

"Leon!" he heard the muffled sound of Gwen's voice followed by the soft thump on the door, indicating she was directly on the other side. "Leon it's not true, I swear!"

"I know. I know, Gwen." He relaxed the formalities. "We will sort this out, I promise."

"My children…"

"Percival has gone to them already and will remain with them until this is over." He assured her, hearing her sigh of relief. "We will get to the bottom of this quickly. We're searching for Merlin, he'll sort this." He amended, knowing that aside from Gwen, who being at the centre of this could not perform her usual role, it was Merlin who would be able to calm The King and set everything to rights. "I must go join them, but have faith, Gwen. All will be put right soon."

 **oo00oo00oo**

Merlin ran onto the training fields, having not stopped since Galahad had found him and frantically told him what had happened.

"What in God's name is going on?!" Merlin yelled when he spotted Arthur, jogging over and stopping just outside of the range of Arthur's sword as he practiced some drills.

"What do you think is going on?" Arthur retorted.

"How should I know? I know it can't be what Galahad says it is, so that's why I'm asking!"

"Considering he was in the room when it all came out, I assure you it is as Sir Galahad says." Merlin scoffed and waited for further explanation; however, when none came he moved with a speed and skill to disarm Arthur only made available to him after years of being The King's practice dummy. With his sword gone, Arthur furiously turned to face Merlin who took the chance to hold him in place, and force The King to look him in the eyes.

"You don't seriously believe that either Lancelot or Gwen, _especially_ Gwen, could ever betray you?" It was a simple yes or no question.

"No." Arthur said finally, falling to the ground and dropping his head in his hands, his anger finally having left him. "I know she could never betray me." He got to the crux of the matter; Lancelot's supposed betrayal was a blow, certainly, but Gwen's was simply heartbreaking.

"Arthur, what happened?" Merlin asked again as he joined his friend on the ground.

"I was walking back to the royal chambers after the tournament. I took the back way, which is faster from the lists as you know, and when I came to the corridor with the dead end, the one so out of the way its frequented by lovers having a tryst," Merlin nodded, knowing the corridor well as he himself had frequented it with Mithian after he'd given in but before their wedding when they couldn't bear to be parted, though Rodor seemed intent on it until they were properly wed. "I heard Gwen's voice, and Lancelot's. I snuck a look around the corner and there they were, in each other's arms, his lips and hands all over her…I left when Lancelot said they could be caught, and Gwen answered that I suspected nothing."

"And you're certain it was them?"

"It was their voices, their faces! Now that I can think clearly I know neither of them, especially Guinevere, would ever betray me…but I know what I saw…"

"Magic." Merlin gave the answer for why Arthur had seen what he did, though they both knew it was impossible. Arthur nodded, having come to that conclusion himself eventually.

"But who? And why?" He asked the questions they now needed answers to. "This is no mere prank, it was meant to hurt me and cause irreparable discord. But we are not at war, and in fact there have been no troubles within the entire kingdom, beyond the occasional bandit on the road, for five years!"

"I know. And we will get to the bottom of this, I promise you. And when we do, I swear to make the sorcerer who did this suffer." Merlin was not a bloodthirsty person, far from it in fact, but an attack like this was unforgivable, and as The Lord Mage it was his duty to see to those responsible. Arthur clapped a hand on Merlin's shoulder, nodding his thanks, before he stood.

"I should go speak to Guinevere." He said. "I don't know how she'll forgive my accusations."

"Just be honest with her and she'll forgive you. Regardless of the calm, collected Queen she appears to the people, and is for the most part, she does have a temper on her. She would have reacted the same way if she had seen you with another woman." Arthur nodded, knowing he was right, and knowing he would have to face that temper now.

"I also need to send someone after Lancelot."

"No need, it's already been done." Arthur looked surprised by this.

"Oh come on, did you think we don't know you well enough to know that once you calmed down you'd be all apologetic?" Merlin scoffed. "Leon sent Gwaine and Dagonet to ensure that Lancelot knew not to go very far, when Galahad found me I told him to send them after him and bring him back. They might have even returned by now...and are just keeping him out of sight until you're calm enough to see him." Arthur laughed softly and bowed his head, silently thanking his friends, and knowing he'd have to make it up to them.

"I'll see him just as soon as I've seen Guinevere." He replied, the two taking off towards the castle. Their leisurely pace, however, turned into a run when the bells sounded, calling the men to arms. The two sprinted towards the council chamber, passing countless guards as they dashed towards the courtyard. When the bells sounded, the standard procedure was for the Knights to gather in the council chamber to form a plan for whatever emergency had arisen, while the guards gathered in the courtyard awaiting orders. Throwing the doors open, Arthur immediately looked to his Knights, seeing Lancelot among them who gulped nervously knowing the last time he'd been in The King's presence he was told he returned to Camelot only upon pain of death.

" _Sir_ Lancelot." Arthur began, emphasizing the title he had taken away, though was clearly giving back. "You have my sincerest apologies and my promise to explain all. But now is not the time, I think."

"Certainly not, Sire." Lancelot agreed, breathing easily again.

"What has happened?" Arthur demanded.

"We are under attack, Sire." Gwaine wasted no time. "Dagonet and I had no sooner left the castle walls to find Lancelot then we spotted him heading swiftly back of his own accord." Arthur turned to Lancelot for an explanation.

"It's the Saxons, Sire. I followed Sir Leon's orders to hide nearby and came across them in the woods. They are at our gates in numbers far exceeding our own. And Sire…Mordred _and_ Morgana lead them."

" _What?!_ " He cried. "Impossible, they are both dead!"

"We never did find their bodies." Leon reminded him.

"It would explain what you saw." Merlin added. "Morgana using her illusions to try and sow discord just before an attack of this magnitude is exactly something she would do." Thinking on it Arthur knew Merlin was right, but something still did not make sense.

"How could they have raised such an army without us knowing? My uncle-"

"Lord Agravaine is among them, Sire." Lancelot added. "I saw him myself speaking with Morgana as a favoured commander."

"He was my eyes and ears in the Saxon territory." Arthur muttered. "I trusted him to squash any rebellion and inform me of any he could not." His voice rose the more that fell into place. "He sat at this very table not a month ago and reported that all was well, yet all the while he was helping our greatest enemy raise an army!"

"And she has chosen her time well." Tristan added. "With all the celebrations going on she ensured that only Camelot's army would be here with no extra men at arms as the rest of Albion's monarchs oversaw their own celebrations."

"As such the rest of Britain's army is too far away to help us." Added Bors.

"Then we are on our own." Dagonet concluded, though instead of defeated, he sounded both angry and resigned to the fight ahead, his hand even going to his sword.

"You will have all my power at your backs." Merlin said, his own voice having gone hard, and his eyes blazing with determination. "I swore to make the one responsible pay and I will." He said to Arthur directly. "This time she will pay with her life." Arthur nodded his thanks and got down to business.

"Ready the men and take the fight as far away from Camelot as possible. The six of you each take your own battalions and go around separate ways to cut off any escape; I assume Lancelot informed you of their exact location? Then go." He added when they nodded affirmatively, leaving only Merlin and Leon with him. "Where is Percival?"

"He is with William and Eleanor." Said Leon. "No doubt Gwen and Mithian have joined them once the alarm sounded."

"Good. Leon, send four men at arms to help Percival protect them then join the others." Leon nodded and headed for the door. "And Leon!" The First Knight turned back around. "Have them tell Guinevere I am sorry." With a small smile, Leon left to do as he was bid.

"I will summon Aithusa and Kilgharrah both." Merlin informed him. "Their army may vastly outnumber us at the moment but two dragons will see the odds changed."

"We should not use them so. Dragons are not weapons, Merlin, Kilgharrah will not appreciate this." The Dragonlord stared at him blankly for a moment before he burst out laughing.

"You're concerned with their feelings when every life in Camelot is in jeopardy?" He shook his head as his laughter subsided. "You never cease to amaze me, Arthur Pendragon."

"Right well there is that." Arthur muttered. "I suppose we'll just have to make it up to Kilgharrah after. Let's go, we don't want to be too far behind-" He was cut off as the bells rang once more followed by a great roar heard outside the castle. The two took off, racing for the nearest door to outside and coming to a stop on the balcony overlooking the courtyard. Saxons were racing through the portcullis, taking many of their men by surprise while in the distance more could be seen fighting in the town; they'd never gotten the chance to take the fight outside of Camelot, the Saxons were upon them too fast. Arthur saw Merlin wave his hand and felt his armour appear, snapping into place over his tunic.

"Thank you." He said. Merlin nodded and the two simultaneously reached out, grasping the other's arm. "Go with God, my friend, and make sure you come back alive."

"You as well." Merlin said. With a quick nod, Arthur unsheathed his sword, feeling the familiar wash of power as Excalibur flashed to life. Another wave of magic hit him and Arthur suddenly found himself on the ground below. As the rage of battle overtook him, Arthur let out a great roar of his own, it being matched only by that of his friend who called up to the heavens.

" _Dragon! Imala! Sungente gumenta! Keshophanekes!"_

 **oo00oo00oo**

Gwen watched from the window with ever growing dread as the battle progressed. It seemed that every time one of their men cut down a Saxon four more took its place. When the first of The Knights of the Round Table were run through Gwen felt tears fall and they had yet to stop. Not even the arrival of Aithusa and Kilgharrah had turned the battle in their favour. With no clear battle lines drawn they could not use their fire without harming Camelot's soldiers as well and so it worked only so far as to end those who had yet to enter the city. On the one had, there would be no more reinforcements for the Saxons, on the other hand it seemed they did not need it. A bright burst of light caught Gwen's attention and she turned her head to see Merlin and Morgana fighting their own battle with magic up on the battlements. Knowing Merlin had her well in hand Gwen turned her attention back to the melee below, searching frantically for Arthur. Finally she spotted him, just in time for him to intercept a blow from Mordred. Gwen reached over and grasped Percival's hand, the First Knight watching alongside her and wishing he could be down there, though knowing protecting The Queen, Prince and Princess was the priority. The two watched as even with Excalibur, Arthur was pushed back time and time again. Finally, along with two fellow Saxons who teamed up against The High King, Mordred was able to disarm Arthur. Gwen felt her heart catch in her throat seeing the triumphant look in Mordred's eyes as he slowly bent and picked up Arthur's blade. The fact that it had become ordinary outside Arthur's hands did not seem to bother the Saxon King one bit as he took the blade and swung. Arthur was able to dodge the first blow, but without his own weapon could not dodge the second. Gwen cried out when the sword pierced Arthur's armour and she fell with him, feeling as if her life had been snuffed out just as easily as husband's had been.

"Gwen…" Percival muttered, unable to stop his own tears after having seen his lifelong friend and King die before his eyes. Gwen curled into Percival's embrace, though she found no comfort there.

"Mama?" William asked. He and Eleanor had been playing on the floor with Alaria and Mithian, unaware as to what was going on in the courtyard below, though neither could ignore their mother's distress. Gwen reached for her children and held them close, unable to find the words to tell them they would never see their father again. It appeared, however, that she may not have to for a loud bang was heard in the corridor beyond; the Saxons had gained entry to the castle and were no doubt searching for them. Percival leapt to his feet and unsheathed his sword, the four men at arms Arthur had sent following his lead. They had barricaded the door, but as the first bang rattled it they knew it would not hold. Alaria and Mithian both joined Gwen and the children against the far wall as the Saxons continued to ram the door, finally gaining entry. Six men entered the room, the first immediately losing their life. A short battle ensued in which three more Saxons died, though so did the four men at arms, until it was Percival who stood alone. The First Knight of Camelot was worth several Saxons in any regular circumstance, though Percival had both limited space, and the added requirement of not allowing either Saxon passed him. The restrictions proved too much and one of them was able to land a lucky blow.

"Percy!" Eleanor shouted in distress as she watched him fall. The Saxons then turned their sights on their true targets. Alaria stepped forward into their path and was quickly cut down, as was Mithian when she attempted the same leaving only Gwen between them and her children. The High Queen of Britain pushed down her sorrows and raised herself up, appearing every inch the queen she was.

"If you lay one hand on my children, you will not live to regret it." She hissed.

"And who's gonna stop us, eh?" They chuckled back. "You? Maybe we'll spare the brats, if you do something for us. Never fucked a queen before." More laughter ensued though Gwen did not even feel an ounce of fear for herself.

"Naw, I don't fancy it when some other man's seed has already taken root." One of them said and Gwen's instinctively went to her rounded belly. "Let's get this over with and get out of here."

"To get out of here alive you will need to get passed The High King and Lord Emrys. Not very good odds are they?" She tried to threaten. It appeared to work somewhat, for they cringed at the thought, but still would not be deterred. Deciding to get it over with they pulled out a pair of daggers and stalked forwards.

"You have no honour!" Gwen spat. "Though I suppose killing a woman with child and two children is about the level you Saxons are on!" The words had barely left her mouth when Gwen felt the dagger pierce her belly. She spared a brief thought for her now dead unborn child before forcing herself to turn in the direction of her screaming children as she fell to her knees. She wanted to tell them it would be alright, to comfort them, though she could neither find the strength, nor was there time. As The High Queen of Britain drew her last breaths, she was conscious enough to be grateful her children's deaths were swift and painless.

 **oo00oo00oo**

Up on the battlements Merlin threw a ball of fire at Morgana, having taken a leaf out of her book. The ball hit its mark, causing the Witch's sleeve to go up in flames and forcing her to take time to put them out. When she looked up again it was to find that Merlin had used the few moments of time his attack had given him to power up an even stronger one. Not sure she could survive this attack, Morgana tried a different tactic.

"I have already won, Emrys! Your King has fallen!" Her words did not appear to have any effect, no doubt Merlin thought she was bluffing, but this was no rouse. "See? Look there, in the courtyard as Mordred stands triumphant!" Merlin could no longer ignore her and turned his head to look into the courtyard below. The power he had been gathering disappeared upon seeing that she was right and Morgana was set to claim victory, except she had not counted upon Merlin's fury. Seeing his friend lying there unmoving, the pool of blood forming around him, and Saxon King that had been Arthur's bane for years standing over him proved too much for the warlock. Merlin let out a terrifying roar of pain and fury that had his magic responding without his command. The shock of pure power that left him ran over all of Camelot, ending the battle. When he came to, Merlin became aware that no one moved. He looked to Morgana but could not find her; further investigation saw him locate her on the ground below. Using his magic Merlin jumped from the battlements, landing softly beside her, seeing that she was once and for all dead. But she was not the only one. Mordred, who only moments before had stood proudly over Arthur's dead body, now lay beside him, his eyes open and unseeing. Looking around Merlin saw that the same fate had befallen everyone in Camelot, Saxon or Briton alike, all were dead; the magic that had escaped him had seen to that. Not caring about anyone else, Merlin dropped beside Arthur and pulled his friend's limp body into his arms, begging him to wake up, though he knew deep down it was useless. So lost in his grief, Merlin was unaware that he had been joined by the only two beings within Camelot that had been left alive.

"Merlin, there is nothing you can do." Kilgharrah spoke.

"I failed." He sobbed back, refusing to let Arthur go.

"No, young warlock, for all that you have dreamt of building has come to pass."

"I can't lose him! He's my friend!"

"No man, no matter how great, can know his destiny. Some lives have been foretold, Merlin. Arthur is not just a king, he is The Once and Future King. Take heart, for when Britain's need is greatest, Arthur will rise again."

"Gwen…" He mumbled, his thoughts going to her too, knowing that her life had been foretold as well.

"Yes, The Once and Future Queen will stand by his side when the time comes." Kilgharrah agreed. "United, the two will see another Golden Age brought to life."

"Mithian!" Once a thought other than Arthur was able to penetrate his mind it wasn't long before others followed, the next naturally being of his wife.

"I am sorry, Merlin." Was all The Great Dragon said on that subject, but Merlin could not leave it there. If one thing could pull him away from Arthur at a time like this it was his wife, and Merlin needed to know. Jumping to his feet, he raced inside and up to the royal chambers, knowing she would be there. He came to a sudden stop when he entered the room, seeing the bodies that littered it. Percival's was enough to see him crying again, while Gwen, William, and Eleanor's was enough to send him to his knees. Spotting his wife he forced himself to go to her side and held her as he had Arthur. He did not know how long he sat there, but when his tears ran dry, Merlin leaned down and gave Mithian one last kiss before leaving her and returning to Arthur. The two dragons had awaited him, knowing he would need them, and Merlin was thankful for it.

"I was right." He whispered. "Even though I thought she would at least grow old, I still watched her die and now must live eternity alone."

" _You won't be alone."_ Aithusa said in their shared mind. _"I will never leave you. Kilgharrah will not either, at least for a time."_ She amended, knowing The Great Dragon was already thousands of years old and his time would come in the not too distant future. Merlin nodded his thanks, but the sorrow would not lift. Still, he knew he could not leave things as they were. With a wave of his hand, Merlin made the bodies of the Saxons and Morgana disappear; to where he sent them he knew not, nor did he care. Another wave saw the Britons disappear as well, though Merlin ensured they would be buried properly, the city's cemetery having just grown exponentially. A third wave saw Arthur, Mithian, Gwen, the children, Nan, Gaius, Hunith, and The Knights of the Round Table, along with their families, appear before him. These were his friends, his family and he would honour them above all others.

"They will be buried on The Isle of the Blessed." He said. "The magic there will safeguard them until it is time for them to rise again."

"Only The Once and Future King and Queen are said to rise again." Kilgharrah reminded him. Merlin shook his head as their roles reversed for the moment, this time it being Merlin who was the font of wisdom.

"The ancient prophecies say The Once and Future King and Queen will rise again and create a new Golden Age, they do not say no one else can rise with them. Arthur and Guinevere will need everyone here if they are to succeed. Arthur once said that it is not him alone who will achieve great things, that he could only do it with his friends and family by his side. And he's right." Kilgharrah smiled softly seeing the man the boy he had once known had become. With his decision made, merlin waved his hand one final time and sent his family to The Isle of the Blessed, knowing he would join them soon to bury them properly. With them gone he had no reason to remain in Camelot and so with a quick word to Aithusa he climbed on her back and the two dragons took off, landing on a hill overlooking Camelot.

"I will hide it." Merlin said of the castle. "Until its rightful King is ready to reclaim his throne, none shall sit in Camelot."

"And the other Britons?" The Great Dragon asked. "They will come in search of their King, are they to find no remnants of him?"

"I will inform the other monarchs what has happened here, they do not need to come to Camelot. Eventually, in a few generations, Camelot will be naught but a myth and none will lay eyes on her until The Once and Future King and Queen return." Summoning his magic, Merlin raised his arms and watched as a soft burst of magic left him and made its way to the castle. As his cloaking spell settled over Camelot, Merlin watched as the place he had lived all his life disappeared before his eyes, leaving nothing but forest before him.

"It has been a privilege to have known you, young warlock." Kilgharrah spoke once more. Merlin looked to him, standing just a bit taller at the destiny that now lay before him. "The story we have been a part of will live long in the minds of men, told in the legends of King Arthur, and his wise companion, Merlin."

* * *

 **A/N - So everyone's dead...**

 **That wasn't my original plan, I originally decided to do something closer to canon with only Arthur (and possibly a few others) dying and ending it along the same lines with the rest of Britain carrying on while Merlin awaits Arthur's return. But then I made Gwen The Once and Future Queen alongside him and so they both had to die to rise again and as their resurrection is a key part of the story I decided to continue it to accommodate that. As such everyone is dead and there are more chapters coming set in the future.**

 **On another note, no, Gwen (and Lancelot) did not betray Arthur, come on guys. Even Arthur knew that she wasn't capable of that once he calmed down. I get that Guinevere's affair is a part of Arthurian legend (though we can pinpoint when it joined the legend, the older, more original tales having Guinevere completely faithful to Arthur), but in the reviews and PMs I got not one person was convinced it was some kind of trick; there was hope that it was, but no one was certain. Not even after** ** **I set it up, albeit briefly, several chapters ago when Morgana was using illusions to change herself or the Saxons into other people then using the trust others have in who they think are their loved ones to her advantage. Very similar situation here, with Morgana using her illusions to take the trust Arthur has in Gwen and use it to break his heart and cause chaos.** **

****Anyways, for those of you hoping Gwen didn't really betray Arthur, you got your wish! See you all next week with the first chapter of their re-awakening!****


	16. The Call of Destiny

_Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.  
_

* * *

 **Chapter 16 – The Call of Destiny**

* * *

Gina and Miranda were nearing the end of their first year of uni and they couldn't be happier. After the last two years of studying for their A-Levels the two best friends had hoped for a bit of a reprieve, though none had come, much to their dismay, and both were looking forward to a summer of lounging around and going on roadtrips to parts of the UK they had always wanted to visit, interspersed with a bit of part-time work; they couldn't rely on mum and dad for everything after all. Gina, who had been named Ginevra at birth, had adopted her nickname as early as kindergarten, firm even then in her belief that some parents should not be allowed to name their children, had met Miranda in that same kindergarten class and the two had been inseparable ever since. They had followed each other through primary and secondary school, and even sixth form, before attending Oxford together, having given in to the pressure their parents put on them enough to lead them to choose one of the top academic schools in Britain, though not their field of study. Both of their fathers were lawyers, partners even as of over a decade ago, having met through their children, and had wanted their daughters to follow them into law. Miranda, however, loved history, specifically the Arthurian legends, and her dream was to further the understanding of the legends and uncover the actual history of them, particularly those regarding the wizard Merlin. Gina too did not fancy herself a lawyer, though her chosen career would not entirely forget the law as she adored children and wanted to help those in need.

Leaving their last class of the week, Gina and Miranda headed towards the nearest Starbucks for coffee in preparation of another late night in the library. They left the shop laughing, enjoying their brief break away from lectures and books, when someone knocked into Gina, sending her sprawling on the ground.

"I'm so sorry are you alright?" A deep, masculine voice asked.

"Yeah…I think so." She replied, accepting his hand up. The moment their hands touched to two gasped as a flash of something, they weren't quite sure what, went through them.

"I really must apologize." He said again when their eyes met. Gina's heart immediately skipped a beat. He had to be the handsomest man she'd ever seen, with a tall, fit physique, dirty blonde hair and blue eyes that she found herself getting lost in.

"I-it's alright. No harm done." She forced herself to say. "Can't say the same for my coffee though." She tried to joke, having heard the sincere upset in the man's voice when he knocked her over. The man looked down and saw her coffee spilt all over floor.

"I'm sorry, allow me to replace it for you."

"Oh, no, really it's alright-"

"I insist." He smiled and Gina could not find it in her to say no so she nodded, watching as he turned to run into the shop, only to stop and turn back around. "I should probably have asked what you were drinking." He said sheepishly and Gina laughed along with him.

"If it's one of those non-fat, soy latte things with ridiculously long names you might want to go with him or we'll be here all day as he tries to remember." Another voice said. Gina turned and only then became aware that they weren't alone and in fact eight other men stood around, all dressed in identical uniforms. Gina turned to face the one who'd knocked her over and saw that he too was dressed in the same uniform, though unlike the others he had an armband that read "captain." The others sniggered at their friend's comment, though the one before her rolled his eyes.

"Oh, no, nothing fancy like that, just plain coffee, cream no sugar." She said and he nodded before heading off.

"So you're footballers." Miranda said, making Gina aware that she too was still there.

"What gave it away?" The same one who'd teased his friend asked with a smile and wink in Miranda's direction.

"The big mouth and oh so witty remarks." She retorted, drawing a round of laughter from the man's friends. He opened his mouth to reply but received an elbow in the gut to shut him up.

"Enough out of you, Logan." One of them said as he stepped forward. "I'm Leo." He said before motioning to each of the others in turn. "These are my mates, Pierce, Glen, Gavin, Taylor, Ben, Dominic, and of course, Logan."

"I'm Miranda, this is my friend Gina..." She trailed off as she looked to her friend whose eyes were glued to the door of Starbucks. "Who clearly has far more pressing matters on her mind at the moment." She finished with a smirk. The men didn't miss the implication and sniggered when Gina still gave no reaction, too preoccupied with watching for the ninth member of their group. Finally he made an appearance and anyone who looked could see Gina's face light up.

"Thanks." She said shyly as he handed her the coffee.

"And this, ladies, is our fearless leader, Aric." Said Pierce.

"Aric…" Gina repeated, still not taking her eyes off him.

"And this is Ginevra." Miranda introduced when her friend didn't do it herself. Gina shot the other girl a glare and Miranda tried to hide her smile that the use of her full name was the only thing to get a rise out of her.

"Gina, will do." She directed to Aric.

"Gina…" Aric said, similarly not taking his eyes off her. Their friends watched the two of them for a few moments, sharing looks themselves before Gavin decided to break things up.

"Oi! Oh fearless leader, we've got practice, or have you forgotten?"

"You lot go on." He said. "I'm going to see Gina to wherever she's going."

"It's alright, you should get to practice." She said. "We're just going to the library, not far at all." She pointed to the building off to their left which indeed wasn't very far away.

"Now what kind of gentleman would I be if I didn't see a lady to the door?" He responded with a smile, making a show of offering Gina his arm.

"A normal one?" Gina answered with a laugh, though took his offered arm anyways and allowing him to lead her towards her destination. Not to be outdone, Logan too offered his arm to Miranda who scoffed and took Leo's arm instead, much to the amusement of the group. The walk was no more than two minutes and upon arriving at the steps Miranda and the boys were forced to watch the drawn out goodbye.

"Alright, that's enough." Ben stated, coming forward and placing his hands firmly on Aric's shoulders, intent on pulling him away. "We really do have to get to practice.

"Wait!" Aric cried, shoving Ben off him and turning back to Gina. "May I see you again?"

"Oh…handsome, manners _and_ proper grammar. He's a keeper." Miranda muttered, causing those nearest to her to stifle a laugh.

"I'd like that." Gina said shyly and Aric's face broke out into a smile.

"Great! Uh…tomorrow? We have a game at 2pm. You could come if you want, and we could go to dinner after? Or skip the game if football's not your thing." He added hastily.

"No, I like football well enough."

"Come on Aric!" His friends called from several feet away as they'd started to leave.

"Guess I'll see you there then." Aric said as he went to join his friends. "I look forward to it!"

"Me too!" Gina said and stayed rooted to the spot as he walked away.

"So…when's the wedding?" Miranda brought her friend back to reality.

"Oh shut up."

 **oo00oo00oo**

The following day Gina spent an inordinate amount of time getting ready. Miranda had abandoned their dorm room mid morning in favour of not watching her best friend try on every piece of clothing she owned, only to return just after lunch to find that that is exactly what Gina did.

"Bloody hell Gina! It looks like a tornado hit in here!"

"I can't find anything to wear!" The other girl complained.

"You have the equivalent of two full wardrobes on the floor at the moment and you're trying to tell me you have nothing to wear to a football match?"

"Don't mock me, Miranda, not today of all days."

" 'Today of all days?' " She parroted. "You're really hung up on this guy aren't you?"

"I think he could be the one." Miranda began to laugh but stopped herself when she saw that her friend was entirely serious.

"But you just met him yesterday!"

"So?"

"So you know nothing about this guy besides that he's the captain of the uni football team! How could he possibly be 'the one?' "

"I don't know, alright?" Gina snapped. "Mum said she just knew that dad was the one when she first met him. That there was this spark and that was it for her. I always thought she was a bit crazy, and talking after years of loving dad…but I felt that spark yesterday when Aric held my hand."

"I'll admit that there was an instant attraction between the two of you, but we're not just talking about an attraction here, are we?" Gina shook her head and flopped down onto her bed. Miranda could see that whatever her friend was feeling it was affecting her badly and so decided to try a new tactic.

"Hey, cheer up." She said, coming to sit beside Gina and wrapping an arm around her. "You were blissfully happy this morning, what happened to that?"

"You've just reminded me that I'm bloody insane is what." She muttered. "You're right, all I know about Aric is that he plays football…and that he looks amazing in his kit." She couldn't help but add. "How can I feel so strongly about someone I know nothing about? It is, without a doubt, insane!"

"I don't know why you're feeling so strongly about him, Gina. But you are, so don't let what I say, or what anyone else says, snuff that feeling out. I just don't want to see you hurt because you rushed into this with blinders on."

"I know. And I promise, I won't be stupid about this. But I have your support right?" This was the question she desperately needed answered. Since kindergarten she and Miranda had been practically sisters. They had supported each other through everything and Gina didn't think she could do this without her support this time too.

"Of course you do! You've been stuck with me since kindergarten, that's not going to change just because you're now certifiably insane."

"Haha." Gina deadpanned.

"Just make sure that Aric knows if he hurts you he'll answer to me, alright?"

"Same with you and any guy you meet."

"Good. Now we've got that sorted," Miranda stood and searched the clothes strewn floor, eventually finding what she was looking for. "You're going to put this on, I'm going to do your hair and makeup, and then we're going to this game. Gotta get a good seat so he sees you in the stands, don't we?"

 **oo00oo00oo**

Gina excitedly joined the crowd in the stands; her and Miranda snagging relatively good seats not far up and close to the benches that would house Oxford's team. When said team ran out onto the field it was all Gina could do to shut Miranda up when Aric immediately turned towards the stands his face brightening as he waved enthusiastically when he spotted her. Gina waved back, but so did about every other girl in the vicinity, as well as a few boys.

"Would you look at how popular he is?" Miranda said.

"Popular doesn't even begin to describe it." One of the girls in front of them, who had been one of the ones to wave, said in return as she turned around to face them. "Aric Pellinore has been the most sought after man at the entire school since he started here. And it's only gotten worse now he's in his final year, captain of the football team, and having filled out that uniform quite well to boot. His friends aren't at all far behind him in desirability either." She added with a little wave. Miranda and Gina turned their attention to the field where they saw Logan looking in their direction and winking, though whether it was at them or the girl in front of them they couldn't entirely tell.

"That one's a real tosser isn't he?" Miranda asked rolling her eyes.

"Logan? Bit of a player, that one. Not that anyone complains."

"No, of course not." Miranda's sarcasm was quite evident, though still lost on the girl.

"What about Aric?" Gina couldn't help but ask. "Does he play around?"

"Are you kidding?" The girl laughed, turning to face them once more, looking quite gobsmacked until she actually got a good look at them. "Ah, you're firsties aren't you?" She asked, referring to their year in school as if that explained everything, which apparently it did. "You wouldn't have been here long enough to know then." She said when they nodded. "Aric has dated a grand total of one girl since he's been here. They started going out in our first semester, but he broke it off over the break last year, said it just wasn't working out. Poor Amber was heartbroken, naturally. To the best of anyone's knowledge he hasn't even gone on a date since, which is just as well, Amber's sworn to get him back."

"She here today?" Miranda asked.

"Of course." The girl scoffed, as if that was the stupidest question ever. "She's the blonde in the front row there, behind the bench." Gina and Miranda looked down and saw a stunningly beautiful woman who had her eyes locked on Aric. "I tell you, I'd hate to be in the shoes of any girl who gets in Amber's way. Every girl may wish to date Aric but they all know he's Amber's man, and she can be right piece of work sometimes."

"Jealous type? Her looks having made her terribly popular and so she uses it to lord it over everyone?" Miranda's own eyes were now narrowed and locked on Amber.

"Definitely. It's why no one's seriously gone after Aric. Anyone who even gets close to him gets a right set down when Amber finds out. But that's alright, Logan's nearly as good." The game started and the girl turned her attention fully to the field.

"She's talking about them like pieces of meat!" Gina hissed. "As if Aric belongs to this Amber and his friends are only second choices."

"It's not right I know, but let them talk how they want, it's no different than how men talk about us." Miranda brushed off Gina's comments. "I'm more concerned about Amber. If what that girl says is true then Amber could try to hurt you when she finds out about your date with Aric tonight. You know I'd have to off her if she hurt even one hair on your head."

"You are far too overprotective of me, Miranda."

"You're my sister in all but blood Gina, of course I'm protective."

"And you're the same to me but you don't see me threatening everyone within a ten mile radius of you."

"That's because you're far too sweet and innocent, dear. You wouldn't hurt a fly, not even to defend yourself, and so I must do it for you."

" 'Sweet and innocent?' " Gina raised an eyebrow at her friend. " 'Wouldn't hurt a fly?' Really?"

"You are sweet and innocent, Gina, don't try and deny it. But I will amend that you _normally_ wouldn't hurt a fly. I know that if anyone hurt me or someone else you loved that they'd wish they hadn't once you're through with them, I think third year proved that." It was true of course. A boy in their third year class had decided to pick on Miranda and Gina had been enraged when she'd found out; the boy had never lived down getting beaten up by a girl, and no one had bothered Miranda again. "But you don't pre-emptively strike. Your sweetness and innocence makes you see the best in people, which is one of the things I love best about you," She hastily added. "But it means you don't see possible attacks until they've happened."

"That's not really a bad thing." Gina grumbled.

"No, it's not. But it means I have to see those attacks for you. And this is one that could see the gloves coming off." They were interrupted as the crowd cheered, announcing that Oxford had scored. They cheered alongside the rest and Gina smiled when Aric turned and winked at her; completely oblivious that Amber had seen him wink at someone other than her and had turned to try and figure out who, her eyes finally landing on Gina and lingering uncertainly. The game started up again and Gina lost herself in the game, cheering and booing along with the crowd, until suddenly the image before her changed. Where seconds ago Gina saw Aric intercept the ball and begin to dodge the other team on the way to the net, she now saw a sword in Aric's hand, a brilliant red cape with a golden dragon sigil flapping behind him as he wielded the sword expertly, cutting through the oncoming opponents. The vision lasted for no more than a moment but it was enough to cause her to reach out and grasp Miranda's shoulder to steady herself.

"You alright?" Her friend asked, concerned.

"Yeah…yeah I'm alright. Just a little dizzy for a moment." She smiled and forced her attention back to the game. It didn't last long though. While the vision didn't return, she couldn't shake the image, nor the feeling that she had seen it before. Gina watched the game with half focused eyes as Oxford scored again then the opposing team scored twice, making it a tie. The players grew fiercer as the game began to draw to a close and neither team was ahead. There had been a few hard hits, a couple men on both sides going down, while the ones that hit them earned yellow cards. That was nothing, however, to the next hit to take place that saw Aric fall to the ground. A hush fell over the crowd as everyone waited to see if he would get back up; he didn't. His friends and the team medic rushed to his side, shouting if he was alright and it was enough for Gina who, without realizing it, began making her way out of the stands towards the field.

"Gina?" Miranda asked after her friend, following her and trying to bring her back to their seats.

"Aric!" Gina shouted, not hearing her friend. The silence of the crowd, however, allowed her to be heard clearly and it drew the attention of Leo, who came to her side as she reached the bottom of the stands.

"He's alright, Gina he's alright." He insisted. Leo had spent the last twenty-four hours hearing nothing out of his friend's mouth that was not about this woman. He had never known his friend to be like this before, and knew that he had deep feelings for her, even if he knew nothing about her.

"No. No he's not getting up…he's bleeding!" She cried, seeing the red stained cloth as the medic shifted.

"He'll be fine, I promise."

"No, let me go to him, he needs me!" Leo looked to Miranda, wondering what the hell was going on and how Gina could be acting like it was the love of her life that was injured when she'd only known Aric one day. Miranda had no answer for him, however, and simple shook her head, her worried eyes on Gina, who continued to scream Aric's name. As she watched Aric be rolled onto his back and the medic tend him another vision hit her fast and hard, one of Aric in the red cape with the sword in a battle of some sort, though this time it was he who was cut down, falling onto his back as blood seeped from his wound. Again Gina felt she had seen this before and this time something else flashed through her mind: a name.

"Arthur!" Her cry was deafening though it was nothing compared to the burst of light that surrounded her. Leo and Miranda, as well as everyone on the field and in the stands, shielded their eyes. When the light died down the crowd looked towards the source but did not see the same woman, or at least she was no longer dressed the same. Instead of the knee length grey skirt and pink blouse, the woman stood before them in a long purple gown that was over an underdress of golden brocade with delicate white lace sleeves. However, it was not her dress that drew the most attention, but rather the golden crown atop her head. Silence reigned as she slowly made her way onto the field, dropping to her knees before Aric. The medic, who moments before had been fussing over him, moved out of the way, too much in shock by what he was witnessing to do anything else. Everyone watched as the woman lifted Aric's head and placed it onto her lap, lovingly running her hand over his hair.

"Arthur, my love, please come back to me. You cannot leave me again, not now, not ever again. Please, Arthur, I love you…with all my heart." She murmured as she leaned down and kissed him. The same light shone, this time covering Aric, and all looked to see what appeared when the light died. The woman did not care what he looked like, she was only focused on the blue eyes that began to flutter open. It took a moment for them to focus but when they did he smiled softly.

"Guinevere." He murmured. Gwen smiled, tears shining in her eyes though she never broke eye contact as Arthur sat up, cupping her cheek lovingly for a moment before standing and offering her his hands. She accepted his aid to stand and neither hesitated to bring their lips together once again. When they parted they drank in the sight of the other, seeing not the students they had been but a moment ago, but The High King and Queen they had once been; Arthur's clothes having changed as well, his cape with the Pendragon sigil gracing his shoulders while his own crown sat atop his head. It was then that the confusion began to set in as they thought back to what had happened and why they were now here, though it was short lived.

"Your Majesties." A voice spoke and the two looked over to see Leo, Pierce, Logan, Ben, Glen, Taylor, Gavin and Dominic, or rather to see the Knights of the Round Table. With their monarchs' attention on them, the eight men drew their swords and stuck them straight into the ground, holding the hilt with both hands as they knelt before their King and Queen.

"Sire, My Queen," It was Sir Leon who spoke. "We are overjoyed to see you once more and wish to renew our pledge to you."

"Sir Leon and I offer our services once more as your First Knights, and Knights of the Round Table." Sir Percival continued. "We promise and swear to uphold the Knight's Code, to deliver justice and seek peace in your name, to always be honest and true, and to uphold the laws of Britain. We give our lives unto your service."

"And I!" Said Sir Lancelot, the others following suit.

"And I!"

"And I!"

"And I!"

"And I!"

"And I!" Their proclamation was heard by everyone in the crowd, the silence so deafening you could hear a pin drop.

"Rise, Knights of the Round Table." Arthur spoke in his most kingly voice, though it did not last long. When all their swords had been sheathed once more, Arthur and Gwen both broke out into smiles and greeted their friends.

"Gwen?" This time it was a feminine voice that spoke once the greetings were over, though they quickly started up once more.

"Mithian!" Gwen cried, rushing to her friend, the two practically falling into each other's arms. They recognized Gina and Miranda in each other, though it was The High Queen and the former Princess of Nemeth that stood before them. Once the new round of greetings were over, the group turned their attention to the matter at hand.

"What is happening? Why are we here?" Arthur asked the tough questions. They were aware of the crowd that was beginning to murmur behind them though ignored them for now, needing answers themselves before they could give any to others.

"You are The Once and Future King and Queen, Sire." Spoke Sir Tristan. "It was foretold that you would rise again when the land was in need."

"But how, and why, is it in need?"

"So, you've finally returned have you?" Yet another voice spoke, such interruptions apparently becoming common. The group turned as one to see an old man with long white hair and a beard, wearing bright red robes and holding a crooked wooden staff standing before them.

"And who are you?" Arthur asked cautiously, his tone not lost on his Knights who shifted into a protective stance in front of the three royals.

"I have waited almost two thousand years for you two to rise again, Arthur and Guinevere Pendragon!" He snapped. "You hurt me deeply by not remembering me."

"So sorry if my memory is a bit off after not being myself for what has apparently been _two thousand years._ " Arthur snapped back sarcastically.

"Hah!" The man cackled. "You haven't changed, Arthur." His voice softened and gained an affectionate tone.

"Who are you?!" The King asked again.

"Perhaps this will help!" The old man raised his staff and what the group recognized as could only be magic left it and washed over him, though it wasn't an old man who stood before them when the magic died. A strangled cry left Mithian as she launched herself forward, slamming into the now young man and all but fusing her lips to his.

"Oh, I'm sorry." She said through her tears when she finally pulled apart. "I just…" She couldn't finish, too overwhelmed as she looked into the eyes of her husband for the first time in two thousand years.

"Mithian…" He murmured, bringing his hand up to cup her cheek, needing to feel that she was real.

"I'm sorry, Merlin, I just…it's been so long and…of course I understand if you've found someone else-"

"Mithian, darling, stop." He cut off her rambling, knowing that every worst-case scenario was going through her head and that her caring nature would ensure she said whatever she thought would make him happy, even if it hurt her in the process. "There is no one else, there has _never_ been anyone else." He insisted as he held her close. "My destiny as Emrys may have had me waiting for The Once and Future King and Queen, but my heart has been waiting for you." Mithian couldn't help but laugh.

"A fine sentiment, my love, but you are still so full of it." Husband and wife took each other in for another moment before leaning in for another kiss, one that did not appear to be ending anytime soon.

"Merlin!" Arthur snapped in his usual manner when they lingered too long for his liking. It was Merlin's turn to laugh as they broke apart, for he'd waited so long to hear that again. "My apologies, My Lady," Arthur directed to Mithian, deliberately leaving Merlin out of it. "Like you I would like nothing than to spend time alone with my spouse," Gwen smacked him in embarrassment though could not deny she agreed with him. "So I must apologize for interrupting you." He continued as if nothing had happened. "However, there is a reason we have risen again here and now and your husband, and my Lord Mage, seems to be the only one with the answers."

* * *

 **A/N - And there you have it, the beginning of the "rise again" half of this fic.** **We will be jumping back and forth between them being their present day selves and past day selves. You will be able to tell the switch by the change in names.**

 **Also while I have tried to use British terminology and slang given the characters are British and the story is set in Britain, I am in fact Canadian. Things like calling it football instead of soccer is easy, but I may have failed at using terms like tosser _._ If anyone British is reading this and thinking "oh dear god please just stop!" tell me, and I will. I promise I'm not trying to butcher British English.  
**

 **For reference in case anyone gets confused about who is who with their present day names:  
Aric = Arthur  
Gina (Ginevra) = Guinevere  
Miranda = Mithian  
Leo (Leonardo) = Leon  
Pierce = Percival  
Logan = Lancelot  
Glen = Galahad  
Taylor = Tristan  
Gavin = Gwaine  
Ben (Benjamin) = Bors  
Dominic = Dagonet  
Merlin is, of course, the same having lived all these years and not being reincarnated. I kept the same first letter of their names to try and make it a bit easier. As other people pop up I'll add more lists then as needed.  
**


	17. The Ages Gone By

_Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.  
_

* * *

 **Chapter 17 – The Ages Gone By**

* * *

"However, there is a reason we have risen again here and now and your husband, and my Lord Mage, seems to be the only one with the answers." Arthur said. Merlin finally released Mithian and approached the man he had been destined to spend several lifetimes waiting on. The two reached out as one and grasped the other's arm in greeting.

"It is good to see you again." Merlin said, looking Arthur in the eyes.

"And you." He returned. The two held the stare for a few moments, trying to convey all within that one meaningful look, before pulling away.

"Merlin." Gwen greeted, tears unabashedly shining in her eyes.

"My Queen." He responded, giving her a short bow and bringing her hand to his lips in a courtly greeting.

"Idiot." She murmured and pulled him into a hug instead. The others greeted Merlin as well before returning to the matter at hand.

"Why have we risen now, Merlin?" Arthur asked.

"I must admit I am not entirely sure." The warlock responded, wrapping an arm around his wife as she returned to his side once more, clearly intending to not leave it anytime soon. "But perhaps we can hold this discussion elsewhere." Merlin pointed behind Arthur when The King shot him a confused look and it was then that they became aware once again that they had a audience.

"Ah. Right you are." Knowing some explanation was needed, Arthur took Gwen's hand and led the way over to the benches where the rest of the team waited.

"Coach." Arthur greeted. "I do apologize but pressing circumstances means we will not be able to finish the game. We wish the rest of the team good luck."

"Uh…" The coach stuttered, unable to find words. "You…you're…what is…"

"Unfortunately we do not have all the answers just yet. But do forgive my manners and allow me to properly introduce myself. I am King Arthur of Camelot and The High King of a united Britain. This is my wife, The High Queen Guinevere, our Lord Mage, Merlin, and his wife Mithian, the Princess of Nemeth, and these are the Knights of the Round Table, Sir Leon and Sir Percival, the First Knights of Britain, along with Sir Lancelot, Sir Gwaine, Sir Bors, Sir Tristain, Sir Galahad, and Sir Dagonet." Silence greeted his introductions, all those within the stands having heard him. Arthur had not once considered not telling the truth as to who they were. Fate and the ancient magic of the Old Religion were at work to have them rise again; he had little doubt that having been awakened now, publically in front of all these people, was a part of fate's plan. "The legends are true for the most part, though there is certainly some fiction in there. We are unsure why we have been reborn in this day and age, but we will find out. However, until such a time I regretfully must withdraw myself and my Knights from the team; undoubtedly there is something sinister at work here and the lives of the people of Britain take precedence over football. I am not even sure when, or if, we will return to school." The coach merely nodded, though it was understandable; it is not every day that you speak with the legendary King Arthur after all. "Merlin!" The King called when the coach's silence continued.

"Yes, Sire?"

"How are we getting wherever we are going?"

"We return to Camelot." He said with a smile. "And I shall transport us there." Merlin raised his hand, along with the staff he still carried, and the group disappeared in puffs of smoke. When Merlin's magic waned once more they found themselves on a hill overlooking a forest. The sight seemed somewhat familiar, if it wasn't for the town off in the distance and the sound of a motorway not far off.

"Where are we?" Arthur asked.

"Camelot." Merlin replied simply as he waved his staff, the cloaking spell he had placed all those years ago finally being lifted.

"It looks good as new…"

"Of course it does. You didn't think I'd let your kingdom fall to ruin or be destroyed did you?" Merlin sounded quite offended, though all could recognize he wasn't genuinely so, but rather teasing Arthur as he once had.

"It's been two thousand years. I just didn't expect it to look as if no time had passed." Arthur defended himself. "Especially given it was in your care." He muttered the last bit, the two easily falling into the routine of banter and bickering of times past. Merlin rolled his eyes and raised his staff once more, transporting the group once again, this time right into the courtyard they were all familiar with, yet had not laid eyes on for two millennia.

"It really does look untouched by time." Gwen said, noticing no grass or weeds poking through the cobblestones, nor any signs of decay.

"You used magic to protect it didn't you?" Mithian asked her husband, still not having let go of his hand even as they made their way towards the main entrance.

"Yes. I cloaked it from prying eyes and every couple hundred years returned to that hill to ensure its structure was still sound. I wanted it ready for when you all returned."

"You didn't remain in Camelot, Merlin?" Galahad asked.

"No. I couldn't." They had arrived at the bottom of the steps and both Arthur and Merlin had stopped, staring down at the place that had seen the end to an era. Gwen reached for Arthur and grasped on to him, knowing this to be the spot she had seen Mordred murder her husband.

"We understand, Merlin." She murmured as they continued on, entering the castle and making their way to the council chamber, taking in every inch of what was once their home as they went. They arrived at the council chamber to find The Round Table as they had left it, all of them moving to take their seats. Arthur sighed as he thought on what usually took place at this point.

"I suppose I shall call this meeting of The Round Table to order." He said. The weight of the situation was felt by all of them as they sat where they had once made decisions that governed the entire kingdom. "Tell us all you know, Merlin."

"I'm afraid I know nothing beyond the obvious." He admitted. "The ancient prophecies said that you would rise again when your kingdom, in this case all of Britain, was in need of you. We know that something has happened, or will shortly happen, to threaten Britain to a point not seen since the war against the Saxons, requiring you to bring about a new Golden Age."

"And you have no idea what it is do you?" Asked Tristan.

"The future is clouded right now, it worries me."

"The future?" Mithian asked. "Last I knew you were not a seer." Merlin smiled and entwined his fingers with hers.

"It has been two thousand years, my dear-"

"Do _not_ remind me of all the time we lost!" She both demanded and begged.

"I have not spent that time idle." He squeezed his wife's hand in what he hoped was a reassuring gesture. "I have honed my magic and have even learned from The Lady of the Lake herself."

"She consented to teach you?" Arthur was surprised. While The Lady had indeed given him Excalibur, they had neither seen nor heard from her in the five years thereafter.

"Yes. After awhile she searched me out, said that she had seen that I would need to be more powerful than I was at that time if I was to fulfill my destiny and help you. The Lady's allegiance has always been with The High King; she helped me so that I may in turn help you."

"And one of those skills she taught you was to see the future?" Gwen wanted to clarify. Merlin shook his head.

"Being a seer isn't something you can just learn, it's a gift that only the most powerful of magical beings possess. When my magic became strong enough, and when I became so in tune with the magic running throughout the Earth, I began to have visions." He explained. "Some, like we had learned, were clear as day. You lot returning and us being reunited was one such vision, there was never any doubt that I would see you all again…it kept me going." He did not let his sorrow at losing both his friends and his family show for too long; he had them back now, that is what mattered. "However, I was never able to see the when, how and why of you being reborn and us reunited. I'm sorry to say I still don't."

"And The Lady? Has she seen anything clearer?" Leon asked. Merlin smiled again though it was a bit ruefully, though why he felt so he wasn't entirely sure.

"It seems one of my destinies has been fulfilled."

"You're more powerful than The Lady." Arthur surmised. "Your destiny as Emrys, the most powerful sorcerer to ever exist, has finally come to pass."

"Yes. At least, the last time I saw The Lady, which was near two centuries ago mind you, she said as much."

"So it would also be pointless to ask if Kilgharrah had seen anything clearer I take it." Percival said. Merlin grew sad once more at the thought of that particular dragon.

"Kilgharrah is dead." He informed them.

"Oh Merlin…" Mithian mumbled sadly, thinking of all those he had lost.

"His death was expected at least. He was nearly three thousand years old as it was when Camelot fell, and even for dragons that is quite old. He passed on a few decades after you lot."

"Dare we ask about the other one?" Bors wondered cautiously, though the thought of Aithusa brought the smile back to Merlin's face.

"Aithusa is alive and well, though she's pretty old now herself. When Kilgharrah passed she became The Great Dragon."

"So it's like a title?" Lancelot was confused.

"Sort of." Merlin thought how best to explain. "Its more like my power as a Dragonlord, except instead of being hereditary its based on level of magic. The Great Dragon is whichever dragon is the most powerful. Like with a Dragonlord's gift it passes on when the current Great Dragon dies."

"I see." Arthur wasn't truly sure if he did, but he decided to just go with it.

"All it means for you is that Aithusa will now be able to speak with you, for the gift to speak with all beings is one belonging to The Great Dragon and The Great Dragon alone." He stopped for a moment before decided to tell them all.  
"She isn't the last dragon, however." He admitted much to the shock of the others. "Aithusa and I had time, a lot of time, to go searching the world for other dragons. With my power as a Dragonlord I'm able to…sense them, in a way."

"You found more dragons." It was said in complete awe.

"Well, dragon eggs." He clarified. "Three of them, the last three in the world. It was a several centuries ago when we found them and I called them from their eggs. Two were female, Wilone and Kaerae, and Berthold is male. Aithusa was ecstatic when we found them and she very much took on the role of their mother, still does for a matter of fact…and she also loves their young like a doting grandmother."

"Just how many dragons are we talking here?" Gwaine voiced the question they all had.

"Just five, but that's four more then we thought there were. Wilone and Berthold are mates and about five years ago Wilone successfully laid an egg. It was another male dragon, named Traherne. Aithusa and I are hoping that when he grows he and Kaerae will be mates, or at the very least like each other enough to have an egg. Dragons will never populate the world as they once did, but if we're lucky they'll be a few dozen by the time Aithusa passes on."

"You succeeded." Mithian said happily. Merlin had confided in her his worries about the dragons and them going extinct. As The Last Dragonlord it was his duty to see that didn't happen, and it seemed he had succeeded.

"We're very happy about this Merlin, for you and Aithusa." Said Gwen. "And for dragons in general of course. We look forward to meeting them, and to seeing Aithusa again."

"Indeed." Arthur said before changing the subject. "What do we do now? It's not yet dinner time, far too early to retire, and I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say I don't even want to think about going back to Oxford right now…or anywhere really. No doubt the entire thing will have made it onto Youtube and the news will have picked it up. Don't really fancy answering questions, whether I have them or not."

"Oh we are far from finished here, Arthur." Gwen said. "There's at least two things left to do." She turned to Merlin, her look pleading. "Firstly, I have waited long enough to ask about my children." Merlin's look turned pained and it was answer enough to send Gwen into a fit of tears. The others had forgotten, too wrapped up in what was going on, but Gwen was not allowed to forget. The last time she had been in the body of The High Queen there had been a child growing inside her, one that was conspicuously absent now.

"I…I don't know." The warlock said.

"Well can you find out?" Arthur asked as he tried to comfort Gwen.

"I will search for them, all of them." He directed to Bors, Dagonet, Tristan and Leon, the others in their group with children. "But I can make no promises. When…when you all died, I took your bodies, along with those of your families, Nan, Gaius and my mother to The Isle of the Blessed to be buried. I had hoped that the rampant magic there would protect you until you were needed again. All of you. There is chance that the others were reborn and have either not yet awakened or are trying to find us, but I can't guarantee anything."

"Please let us know if you find anything. Anything at all." Dagonet said, emotion filling his voice. When they had died in the battlefield the Knights had not thought that their families would face the same fate; it was difficult to hear that they had.

"I will." He assured them and they all lapsed into silence for a few moments until Gwen's tears dried.

"What was the other thing you spoke of?" Arthur asked his wife softly.

"Oh…right." She said, straightening out of his grasp before raising her arm and slapping him across the face. Arthur turned with the blow more out of shock than the actual strength of it, for aside from a good-natured head slap when he was being particularly obstinate, Gwen had never raised a hand to him before.

"You complete bastard, Arthur Pendragon!" She almost shouted, any trace of her former sadness having disappeared to be replaced by pure anger.

"What did I do?" It was the wrong thing to say, as Gwen's narrowed eyes informed him.

"The last time I saw you, before watching Mordred stick a sword through you that is, you accused me of having an affair!" She snarled. "With Lancelot no less!" This was not news to anyone at the table, though the events leading up to the Saxon attack had not been forefront of their mind.

"Oh…that…"

"Yes, _that_!"

"I am sorry, Guinevere, truly I am." He said sincerely enough to stop the rant she no doubt wanted to go on. "I was coming to talk to you, tell you I was wrong, when the alarm sounded. I didn't have a chance."

"How could you even accuse me of something like that? After all our years together, knowing me as you do, _how_ could you even _think_ that I would betray you thus?!"

"Because I saw it! No, let me finish!" He stopped her interrupting. "I did see you and Lancelot together, and I was hurt enough to not think of any other possibility for what I saw. When I calmed down, when Merlin knocked some sense into me, I realized that it couldn't have been you, not really at least."

"So how-"

"Morgana." He spoke the one word answer. "We realized it was magic, making two people look and sound like you and Lancelot with the sole purpose of hurting me. We didn't know who, but Morgana and the Saxons attacking so soon after is just too big a coincidence." Most of Gwen's anger left her when she heard that Morgana's illusions had been the cause. After all, she and every other person in Camelot knew only too well how real Morgana's illusions could be. There had been a time when many lives were lost when people unknowingly trusted a Saxon thinking it was their family or friends.

"I suppose I have to forgive you then…" She said somewhat begrudgingly, not truly ready to let go of her anger, but knowing that if Morgana was involved it wasn't really Arthur's fault, and even being played as he was it only took a couple hours to figure out the truth.

"We'll work on it." He murmured, knowing how she was feeling; real or not he would not soon forget the sight of his wife in another man's arms. "Lancelot." He then addressed the Knight, knowing this involved him just as much.

"Sire." He responded, not sure if he dared look his King in the eye, but deciding to be brave.

"As I said that day, Sir Lancelot, you have my sincerest apologies. I know you would never betray me so, in my anger it just took awhile to remember that."

"It is quite alright, Sire. I am certain I would have reacted similarly had I been in your place."

"But perhaps next time, if there is a next time, though I sincerely hope there won't be, you can stay away from everyone until you've calmed down and remembered we wouldn't betray you, instead of acting irrationally." Merlin suggested.

"Or I'll just search you out, Merlin. You should be well accustomed to my irrationality, as you put it."

"Wouldn't be the first time, Arthur."

"Enough, both of you." Mithian put a stop to their bickering before it could truly begin. She had gotten quite proficient at that after marrying Merlin; both he and Arthur swore that she'd taken lessons from Gwen.

"Right. Well why don't you lot get re-acquainted with the castle, while Mithian and I go get some food." Merlin suggested. The others quickly agreed, none wanting to go out and face the storm they were sure was brewing thanks to social media; no doubt they were 'trending' on the internet by now.

"Merlin, before you go," Gwen stopped the two before they could exit the council chamber. "I just have two more questions. Firstly…how do we become ourselves again? Or rather, our modern day reincarnated selves?"

"Oh, I have no idea." He readily admitted.

"Wonderful." Arthur muttered, not looking forward to the amount of time the armour he wore took to remove.

"Alright, and secondly…there wouldn't be a chance of indoor plumbing would there? Or electricity?"

"I agree with, Her Majesty." Bors spoke up. "I don't think any of us could stomach a stool closet ever again."

"That I think I can help with. Well, partially at least." Merlin raised his staff and cast his magic. A loud groan was heard from all around them but nothing visibly changed. "We now have indoor plumbing." He reported. "I think. If it worked properly your stool closets will have expanded and altered to become real twenty-first century bathrooms."

"And if it didn't work?" Leon couldn't help but ask.

"I'd enter cautiously the first time." He suggested. "Turn taps slowly, that sort of thing. And I'll work on electricity, but it may have to be installed manually by a professional."

"Merlin do you always use that staff now?" Arthur asked, having seen the warlock use it one too many times not to.

"What?" Merlin looked down at the crooked length of wood and shrugged. "Not really. I was just under an aging spell for a long time and my whole body began to ache. I used it as a walking stick."

"So that wasn't just a disguise? That's really what you'll look like as a old man?" The King sniggered.

"Hey, contrary to my youthful looks, I am almost two thousand years old, remember?"

"Yeah but you're immortal. Does it really count?" Lancelot asked.

"When you live for two thousand years, then ask yourself if it counts." Mithian suggested, frowning at the Knight.

"Of course, I apologize, My Lady." He said contritely. "Oh, and I'm sorry for flirting with you."

"What?!" Merlin snapped.

"In my defense I didn't know it was you. As far as I knew you were just another uni girl."

" 'Just another uni girl?' " Merlin demanded, turning to his wife. "What is he talking about?"

"Nothing, darling, just Lancelot being…well Lancelot." She said, taking his arm and pulling him out of the room. "We'll be back with McDonald's or something." She called behind her.

"McDonald's eaten at the legendary Round Table in the supposedly mythical Camelot…" Gwen said with a poorly suppressed smile.

"Hey, we've got indoor plumbing…apparently." Arthur said. "It's the twenty-first century now, we're going to have to acclimatize ourselves to that."

"But how?" Tristan asked. "We're ancient beings, you're an ancient King." He directed to Arthur, the tone quickly turning serious again. "The monarchy has been abolished, save in ceremonial positions, and even if it hadn't Queen Elizabeth II is now the sovereign and more importantly is well loved. How are you supposed to unite the land and lead the people with neither power nor precedent to do so?"

"You've asked just one of the difficult questions we must now find answers to, though none are readily available." Arthur responded. "There will be no easy answer, and the fight ahead of us will be long, difficult, and no doubt bloody. I swore at my coronation as High King to do right by the people of Britain, and that all Britons would be united in one common cause. So long as there is breath in my body, in any life, I shall do all in my power to see that come to pass. But I neither expect nor hold any of you to the oaths you took. You should live your lives, don't throw them away."

"We renewed our oaths freely naught a few hours ago." Percival reminded him. "We are not throwing our lives away, we are fighting for what we believe in, and we will stand by your side all the way."

"Don't even think of looking my way." Gwen said, taking Arthur's hand. "And I would get this out of your system before Merlin returns. He's waited two thousand years to stand by your side as you fulfill your destiny; it won't go over well if you suggest he do otherwise."

"I admit I will not be able to do this alone, and I welcome your help, so long as you know it is not mandated of you." He paused momentarily, looking to each of them in turn. "I have no doubt I will need help from elsewhere as well. I will have to navigate the power and politics of this day and age and it will not be easy."

"We will be meeting with Queen Elizabeth soon won't we?" Dagonet asked, though it was more of a statement.

"Eventually I have no doubt we will. Whether monarchs from different times or not we are still both British monarchs, our goals are the same in that."

"Here's hoping that you're right about that." Bors muttered and no one could disagree with him. The entire game had changed. Not only would they need to learn the new rules but the new players as well, which was easier said than done.

 **oo00oo00oo**

Merlin and Mithian did indeed return with McDonald's, though they took far longer than any of the others thought they should given Merlin's ability to transport them anywhere with a wave of his hand. After eating everyone retired to their old chambers, and when Arthur and Gwen entered theirs The Queen drew up short.

"Sweetheart?" Arthur asked. Gwen didn't respond but instead entered the room and knelt in front of the window; the last place she had seen her children.

"I watched as they died here, Arthur." She muttered brokenly. Knowing exactly whom she was talking about Arthur immediately went to her side and held her as she sobbed, his own tears joining hers. "They killed them, Arthur." She got out between sobs. "Grown men did not hesitate to slaughter our children!"

"I know sweetheart. The Saxons have no honour. Killing women and children, and both at once with a woman with child, is about their skill level, for they could never hope to take us in a fair fight."

"Don't group all the Saxons together, Arthur. Not all of them were so dishonourable."

"No, not all of them were, but the honourable ones were few and far between. The majority of Saxons, however, proved time and time again they held nothing dear but themselves." Gwen could not refute that fact. Although they would never clump an entire population together, most of the Saxons had indeed proved they were dishonourable.

"It is weird," She said when her tears had dried up. "To be back as my former self and not be with child."

"I don't know what to say, Guinevere." Arthur admitted. "I really can't imagine how you're feeling."

"Good. I would never wish this pain on anyone."

"But I would wish it on myself if it meant taking it from you." He replied, looking into her eyes, which filled with warmth at his words. "I'm so sorry, Guinevere. For accusing you of being unfaithful to me, for not being there to protect or our children…"

"You were fighting to protect us, Arthur. Regardless of whether you were in the room or not you fought to protect us, and your kingdom. As for accusing me of an affair…there is a part of me that is so hurt that you could ever even think it possible of me that I don't want to forgive you." Arthur hung his head, a pained expression on his face. Gwen didn't let him hide from her, however, she reached up and raised his head till his eyes met hers once more. "But a larger part of me knows how real Morgana's illusions can seem and I can't imagine the pain you felt at my supposed betrayal. After you left that day I thought on what I would have done had I come across you with another woman, and I realized I would have acted exactly the same way. It didn't take you that long to realize it couldn't have been real, and you were on your way to speak to me when the Saxons attacked. Of course I forgive you Arthur, how could I not?"

"You have always been too good to me, Guinevere."

"I know." She replied with a smile, trying to lighten the mood. Arthur smiled back at his wife and slowly lowered his head towards her, giving her lots of time to pull away. Gwen did no such thing and in fact met him half way, welcoming his kiss. For the first time in two thousand years they were together again and both poured everything they had into that one kiss, both their sorrow for the past, and all their hope for the future, for the second chance they'd been given to grow old together. Pulling away when the need for air became too much, the two looked to each other with a heated stare.

"Take me to bed, Arthur." Gwen murmured. The King needed no further persuasion and stood with his wife in his arms before carrying her to their bed.

 **oo00oo00oo**

A corridor over another couple had been making up for lost time as well. Merlin and Mithian lay fully sated together, Mithian's head resting on her husband's chest with his arm draped around her.

"I love you." The warlock murmured. "I've waited two thousand years to say those words again."

"Have you really?" She could not help but ask. "I know you said there has been no one since me, but…Merlin you were not meant to be a monk, living in seclusion and not knowing love." She raised her head and gave him a look of both sorrow and upset. "We talked about this, Merlin. We knew the time would come when we could no longer be together and I was very clear that I wanted you to be happy! Even if it meant having another woman to replace me I never wanted you to be alone!"

"I know darling." He replied. "And I haven't been alone all this time; out of respect for your wishes I did not purposefully seclude myself." He smiled softly. "But I always knew there would never be another. No one can replace you, Mithian, it is impossible. Even as you were saying you wanted me to move on when the time came I knew I never could."

"You said you haven't been alone all this time. If you knew you wouldn't find another, how have you not been alone?"

"I had Aithusa, and for a little while Kilgharrah as well. Then there's The Lady of the Lake, whom I visited often, and the other dragons when we found them. And I saw the other monarchs of Britain for awhile too, ensured that the transition after Arthur's death went smoothly and that they didn't undo everything Arthur had fought for." Mithian looked quite unimpressed.

"That is not what I meant, Merlin, and you know it."

"Yes, I do know. But I also integrated myself into modern life. No one knew who I really was, but I was a healer in various villages throughout the medieval era," He informed her, giving her a brief history of his life for the past two millennia.  
"That was also when Aithusa and I went searching for other dragons. I admit that during that time I did not keep an eye on Britain as I should have. When we returned…a century or so later," He said nonchalantly. "The land had been split. Britain did not really exist any longer, but was then England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. It eventually corrected itself, sort of, when Great Britain was formed in the 18th century, and even further when the United Kingdom came about, but they're certainly still separate countries when they weren't in our time." Mithian listened patiently as Merlin spoke, taking in every little detail. "By the renaissance I was ready to interact with people more and so returned to court life, let me tell you what a mistake _that_ was. After years of war there was such hope for the new, young Henry VIII."

"You were at the court of Henry VIII?" She could not help but ask.

"Oh yes. I created an identity for myself and was quite pleased overall…until Anne Boleyn came to court. She was nice enough, but history had it right that she pursued King Henry ruthlessly, filling his head with promises of a son if he only married her and made her Queen. Things greatly changed since the Golden Age, I don't mind telling you. In our time sons were put above daughters in terms of inheritance, certainly, but no king would tear apart a kingdom to have one when they already had a daughter. I left court shortly after King Henry's injury when everything went even further to hell, though I came back when his daughter Elizabeth became Queen. I met Shakespeare." He added and Mithian could not help but laugh.

"It is strange. Even after having seen so much, and knowing what I do, with the existence of magic, which has apparently been forgotten, being married to The Immortal Mage, everything with the Sword in the Stone, The High King of Britain, The Once and Future King and Queen…the modern day part of me is shocked the most by the fact that you met Queen Elizabeth I and Shakespeare." Merlin could not help but laugh too, for when she put it that way it did sound quite unimpressive compared to everything else. "So what happened then?" Mithian urged him to continue.

"That's when I really began training with The Lady of the Lake. Before that I'd go see her regularly and she'd teach me some stuff, but I practically lived on the Isle of the Blessed for the latter half of the 17th century and all of the 18th century. 19th century I began to go out again,"

"Let me guess, you met Queen Victoria too."

"Actually no. Saw her from a distance a couple of times as she rode passed in her carriage, but never actually met her. I became a bit of a scholar in that time; everything was advancing so fast, things being discovered and invented left, right and centre. Things that even magic can't do became possible, and don't even get me started about the 20th century. Never has our world advanced so quickly before, I could barely keep up. Then the wars started, and they seemed even more pointless than the ones we fought against the Saxons. I banged my head against a wall one too many times when World War I started, and so wanted to do away with Hitler when World War II came about."

"Why didn't you?"

"It's not my place to intervene like that." He said after a moment. "I'm not here to do whatever I want and make the world how I want it to be. Just because I have the power to make things however I want, doesn't mean I should; I'd be no better than the man I wanted to stop if I did that, if I forced people to my will. No, I'm here to help Arthur bring about a new Golden Age, and he will do it right, not just taking out the leader and hoping for the best. Though every time I think about those death camps and the millions of lives I could have saved I regret not doing it, I don't mind telling you. But then I think, would it have really helped anything? There were others poised to take Hitler's place, and for all I know I could have traded one psycho for an even worse one. I know it seems like no one of the time could be worse than Hitler, and maybe that's true, but no one took his place for us to find out." Merlin went silent after that, all these unwelcome thoughts that he'd gone over time and time again returning. Mithian pushed herself up until she hovered over her husband, forcing him to concentrate on her.

"You've lived with a terrible burden, Merlin. I cannot even begin to imagine what having the amount of power you do does to your mind. But know that you do not have to bear that burden alone anymore. I am here now, Merlin. We all are, and we will not let you bear this alone any longer." Mithian brought her lips to his in a gentle kiss before settling down beside him once more. "I love you, Merlin, more than I can say. And now that I have found you again I will not let you go. You're stuck with me, whether you like it or not." Merlin's arm tightened around her.

"I could not think of any fate I would want more."

* * *

 **A/N - As Arthur said, they are going to have to acclimatize to the modern world. They essentially have two people living inside them, all the memories of both lives are there, which can be both a blessing and a curse. We will see more of them adjusting. Indoor plumbing is not the end of it, though I will not be changing Camelot a great deal, it's still an ancient castle, just some things need to change.**

 **And yes, Queen Elizabeth II may show up eventually. With their identities public I don't think there's a chance in hell that Queen Elizabeth wouldn't want to meet the legendary King Arthur, she'd also be concerned with why he's there, how it would affect Britain and its people and all that so they'd have to meet at some point. Just trying to figure out how and if I will actually bring her into the story or if I'll just mention that they met...I find it weird to write about real people who are still living for whatever reason, though dead real people, like Henry VIII, I'm fine with.  
**

 **Yes Gwen forgave Arthur pretty quickly, I know some of you said she shouldn't, but it's Morgana's illusions and Gwen herself has experienced how real they can be, so even though the situation still angers her, she's not really mad at Arthur anymore, knowing the reason why.**

 **As to Merlin...he's been alive for so long, would have experienced every major historical event (except when hiding from the world) and I wanted to show that he was there for some of it, though certainly didn't experience everything first hand.**

 **Then there's his power and knowing he's the most powerful sorcerer to ever exist, and arguably the most power person in the world, which would play on him a great deal. Seeing the world go to war not once but twice, and knowing that he could basically snap his fingers and end it, and stop millions from dying, would be hard for him because as he said it raises the question of _should_ he use his magic in that way? W** **ould he then be any different than those trying to force their will on others?** **Yes, most people (if not all) would agree that ending a war peacefully would be a good thing, but Merlin alone would be deciding that and would be using his magic to do what he thought was right, and make things how he thinks they should be, regardless of anyone else's opinion. It also begs the questions of would it really help, or would the repercussions end up being worse? Every action has consequences and there's too much that could go wrong and he doesn't feel it's his place to make things how he wants/thinks they should be, but rather to let the world govern itself instead of becoming some universal dictator simply because he has the power to do so.**

 **The point of that long paragraph is to explain his thinking and stop questions like "why didn't he save those millions of lives if he could?" Unfortunately it's never that simple. I also will not be delving much into this topic, so decided on a long A/N to try and explain everything.**


	18. The Bane of Arthur

_Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.  
_

* * *

 **Chapter 18 – The Bane of Arthur**

* * *

Arthur and Gwen awoke the next morning to a pounding on the door.

"Your Majesties?" Sir Leon called out. "You'd better come, there's something you need to see." Knowing it could not be good the two hastened out of bed to get dressed, cursing the intricacies of medieval age clothing as they went. Though they supposed they should be glad that not only were their wardrobes just as they'd left them, but their clothes had been perfectly preserved like the rest of Camelot; it would have taken them that much longer if they had had to get back into the ceremonial clothes they had worn the other day. Arriving at the throne room the two found that everyone else was already there, sitting in their places at The Round Table, and staring at a glass ball in the centre.

"A crystal ball, Merlin, really?" Arthur announced their arrival. "Could you be any more stereotypical?" Arthur led Gwen to her seat before moving to take his; however, when he turned from his wife he was met by the old man Merlin had greeted them as the other day.

"Ah!" He jumped back startled, his Knights hiding their laughter.

"Is this stereotypical enough for you?" Merlin asked with a raised eyebrow, his voice having taken on the timbre of the old man he now was. "Is this not the stereotype of what the Merlin of Arthurian legend looks like? And old man with long white hair and beard and a magical staff?" He waved his staff in Arthur's face until The King grasped it and forcefully pushed it away.

"You've made your point, Merlin." He grumbled. The warlock let loose a cackle and returned to his seat next to Mithian, losing the old man disguise as he went.

"Please don't do that again." His wife asked with a look of mild nausea. "It's quite unsettling to see my husband like that."

"Especially given your nightly activities, no doubt." Lancelot said with a smirk.

"Oi!" Merlin turned his attention to the Knight. "There'll be none of that."

"Then I suggest you learn to be quieter, or place a silencing spell or something, I'm sure that's possible. It was hard getting to sleep with how loud you were being." He retorted.

"We're not that loud." Merlin muttered while Mithian looked anywhere but at the Knights. Such teasing, she knew, was quite common, but in the past such topics were deemed unsuitable for ladies years and so she was spared having to hear it. In this time, however, it appeared she would have to get used to it.

"Oh, I didn't mean you as in plural." Lancelot continued. "I meant you and in _you_ Merlin." The Knights and Arthur could hold their laughter back no longer. How often had they joked about how loud their wives, or the woman they were currently spending time with, screamed their name? They found it quite funny for it to be one of them who screamed instead.

"Anyways." Merlin stressed, getting off the topic. "You were right, Arthur, about the news having picked up the story." He pointed to the crystal ball and they all looked on to see a video of what had happened yesterday at the game, before the scene changed to a reporter standing with Camelot in the background. "They can see the castle now, I forgot to replace the invisibility spell after I lifted it for you yesterday. We're still protected otherwise, they can't get nearer than that, but they can see it now."

"They've correctly speculated that the sudden appearance of this castle so soon after the apparent appearance of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table means that this is the fabled Camelot." Percival added. The scene changed once again to the video from the other day and Gwen could not help but groan.

"What is it?" Arthur asked, concerned.

"Did you not just see that it is clearly us in that video?" She asked. "Or rather our modern day selves who then turned into someone else?" Knowing both versions of Gwen as she did, Mithian groaned too, guessing what she was getting at.

"Our parents." She said. "They're probably going spare after seeing that and not being able to reach us." The others too now shared the girls' sentiments, thinking of their own parents.

"At minimum we need to speak with them." Gwen said. "But my cell was in my bag that disappeared when I changed into Guinevere…" She then turned to Merlin. "Change me back. I don't care how you do it, change me back to my present day self, Merlin."

"I am afraid that power does not lie with Emrys." A voice said not a moment before a light appeared off to the side of the room, dimming to reveal someone only three of them had seen before.

"Dear Lady," Arthur stood, offering a short bow to The Lady of the Lake. "You are most welcome here."

"I am happy to see you both again, Arthur and Guinevere Pendragon. The time of The Once and Future King and Queen is once more upon us."

"What are you doing here?" Merlin asked.

"Don't be rude, Merlin!" Gwen hissed; this was, after all, The Lady of The Lake. However, The Lady merely laughed, apparently quite used to Merlin's mannerisms.

"I came to see them for myself, Emrys. You know how I too have awaited their return." Merlin merely shrugged. After spending nearly two centuries in close quarters, seeing each other every day, there was not much that they did not know about the other. "I also came to meet your wife." The Lady's gaze turned in the direction of Mithian.

"Me?" She gasped.

"Indeed. I spent near on two hundred years listening to him speak of you. Occasionally it got to the point when I had to hide at the bottom of my lake to get away from it."

"Yes, well…" Merlin said with a blush. The Lady laughed once more and came forward to grasp Mithian's hand, looking deep into her eyes as if she could see past them into Mithian's soul, which would not be too surprising given who she was.

"You do him good, as he does you." The Lady said finally. "All you both hope for shall come to pass if you do not stray." Her cryptic message only confused Mithian, but she decided to merely thank The Lady and ask Merlin about it later. The Lady released Mithian's hand and returned to stand before them all, turning to face Gwen. "The answer to returning to your present self lies inside you, Your Grace. Simply allow Gina to take control once more and you will return to who you are in this time. The same for all of you." She addressed the others. "Though know that your past selves will never leave you. Whether you summon them forward or whether circumstances do it for you, you can, and will, return to being who you once were."

"Clothes and all?" Galahad asked. "Like if we were ever in need of our armour, we wouldn't have to trudge to wherever it is and spend all that time putting it on manually? We could simply bring the Knight we once were forward and instantly be ready for battle?" The others could see how useful that would be. They had no doubt that at some point they would be fighting once more and being able to be fully dressed and prepared for battle in the span of time it took for the flash of light to appear and die down like yesterday would certainly be handy.

"If that is how you wish it to be, then yes." The Lady responded. With a wave of her hand all save Merlin glowed golden for a moment. "Your instincts serve you well, Sir Galahad. Appearing as you do now is not nearly as impressive a sight as the Knights of the Round Table in full battle regalia, or The High King and Queen looking every inch the royalty they are, with the crowns of a united Britain atop their heads." No one could fight that assessment. If their past selves were needed it would no doubt either be to fight a battle or for the purpose of aiding Arthur and Gwen in their quest to bring about a new Golden Age; either way appearing as they did now would not exactly help their purpose. "There is one last thing before I go." The Lady turned to look directly at Arthur. "I fear your trials are just beginning, though especially yours, My King. I offer this warning that you are not alone in this time; others have been reborn as well. Your bane, Arthur, approaches."

"My bane? What do you mean?"

"I do not see all, Sire." The Lady said with a shake of her head. "But I urge you to be weary. Trust those here with you today. Allow them to protect you, as is their duty, and listen to their counsel, for with their help you may live to see your destiny fulfilled. Know too that I will help where I can. My allegiance has always been with The High King of Britain, and that has not changed. Until we meet again." She said in parting before the same light that had brought her here took her away.

"She's right about letting us protect you." Leon said, knowing how his King could be. "Until we know what is going on here there can be no running off, no arrogance that you will be fine on your own; you will let us protect you." His tone of voice brooked no argument. "We will work out a schedule so that you and The Queen are protected at all times. We would happily include Princess Mithian as well, though I get the feeling Merlin will not be leaving her side very often, and she will be quite safe with The Lord Mage at her side."

"He is _not_ sleeping in our dorm!" Gwen quickly shot at her friend who grumbled unhappily.

" _You_ are not sleeping in your dorm." Arthur countered. "I finally have you back, Guinevere, and I am not letting you go. I have my own room and you will stay with me. As for your protection, Sir Leon, given my room is located beside yours, across from Percival's and down the hall from the others here that should be good enough." Leon nodded his head. The only way it could be safer is if someone stayed in the room with them, which was most definitely not going to happen, or if they posted a guard outside the door, which he would speak with Percival about to see if they thought it necessary.

"And if Gwen's not staying in our dorm, then you can." Mithian said happily to her husband. "I won't be separated from you, Merlin." The warlock merely nodded, though happiness clearly shone in his eyes.

"Alright, now we've got that sorted, can we try and return to our other selves?" Gwen asked. The others quickly agreed and without knowing exactly what to do they closed their eyes and thought hard about their present day selves. It took a minute or two but eventually they felt what could only be described as a light prickling of the skin wash over them. When they opened their eyes they stood once again as uni students. Gina and Miranda immediately reached for their bags, taking out their cells and groaning once more at what they saw.

"Thirty-six missed calls." Gina reported. "All from mum and dad."

"Same. They're probably in the same room together calling."

"No doubt. We should really go see them."

"Can we stop by the field first so the boys and I can change and grab our stuff?" Aric asked, all nine of them still being dressed in their football uniforms.

"No need." Merlin said as he waved his hand, making their belongings appear before them.

"Right, we'll just go change then." The men had reached for their phones once their bags appeared, and groaned as well; they all had at least two-dozen calls from their parents too.

"Merlin?" Gavin asked before they left the room. "Any chance that we can bring our parents here? Only we're not going to separate, it's too risky, and as it's the same story, we might as well only tell it once, instead of eleven times."

"I can go get them, yes." He replied.

"Any chance of electricity, and cell service so we can call them and warn them before you just pop in?" Ben wanted to know.

"Oh, right! I'll set that up cell service as you lot change." Nodding in acceptance the men left to do just that, though Gina was not about to let him off so easily.

"Didn't you say yesterday that you couldn't give us electricity?"

"I said I'd work on it, and I did. Mithian…sorry, Miranda and I stopped off at the local library while we were out yesterday and I used the computer. Once I found out how electricity worked I discovered I can't do it." He admitted freely. "But cell service should be as simple as moving a cell tower closer to Camelot. Or a bunch of them. The cell companies build more towers if they want to expand service area, so that's what I'm going to do." He flashed himself away to who knows where leaving the girls to await his and the boys' return. Their first indication that Merlin had succeeded was when Miranda's phones rang. "Did it work?" Merlin asked not a moment later, having flashed back in.

"Yeah…" Miranda said, she and Gina looking nervously at each other Miranda answered her phone.

"Hello?" She asked, though they all knew exactly who it was.

" _Oh thank god!"_ Was heard from the other end, the entire throne room having gone silent to try and hear what was said. _"Where the bloody hell have you two been?!"_ Miranda's father assumed that the two were together, but given the two girls past of never leaving each other's side unless forced, it was a fair assumption.

"Dad calm down." Miranda tried, though that was apparently the wrong thing to say.

" _CALM DOWN!?"_ He thundered. _"My daughter and her best friend just up and disappear then we see that…whatever it was on the news and you are telling me to calm down?!"_

"Dad, put mum on please." It was not often that her father yelled, certainly not like this, but when he did, and it was usually because of boys, you just couldn't talk to him until he was calm.

" _No, I will not put-"_ A struggle was heard before Miranda's mother came on the phone, her voice much calmer, though just as stern.

" _Miranda, are you and Gina alright?"_

"We're fine, mum, really. In fact we've never been better." That last bit was said softly and given she was looking at Merlin when she said it was clearly directed to him.

" _Alright…what happened? Can you come home?"_

"We are home…in a sense. Er…but we'd like you to come here, and we'll explain everything."

" _Alright…_ " Her mother said again, drawing the word out even more. _"Where are you?"_

"We're in Camelot." She said after a moment deciding on complete honesty.

" _That is not funny, Miranda."_

"It wasn't a joke, mum. We really are in Camelot. Look, I'm going to send Merlin for you, alright?"

" _Merlin?"_ She deadpanned. _"As in the ancient warlock of Arthurian legend, Merlin?"_

"Yes, that one. I promise we'll explain everything, but it really should be in person." Miranda finally convinced her parents, and Gina's, that a warlock was really coming to get them before hanging up and flopping her head onto Gina's shoulder, already knackered and their parents hadn't even arrived yet. They waited while similar calls were made to the boys' parents before Merlin set out, flashing out of the room and returning about ten minutes later with all the parents. The children quickly found themselves engulfed in hugs while a million questions were fired their way.

"Silence!" Aric finally bellowed in an exact copy of the voice he had used when issuing the same command thousands of years ago. "Sit." The parents did as commanded, more out of shock than anything else, each taking a seat at The Round Table or in one of the chairs Merlin conjured when there weren't enough. When they sat they finally became aware of something other than their children, namely the table they sat at.

"The Round Table…" Alex, Aric's father, muttered, his mother Anna looking just as shocked beside him.

"Yes, that is The Round Table of legend." Aric confirmed. "And you are inside Camelot."

"So the legends are true then?" Penelope, Pierce's mother, had to ask.

"Yeah, mum. They are."

"For the most part." Logan added, thinking about Guinevere and Lancelot's famous affair, wondering if Chrétien de Troyes had somehow discovered their supposed affair, or if he just made it up, choosing Lancelot over the other knights only randomly. "Certainly not all of it is true."

"Right, well why don't you start explaining what is true." His dad Liam suggested.

"And more importantly what you have to do with it." His other dad Luke added. As one the Knights turned to their King for him to explain.

"Really guys?" Aric asked. "You're really going to force me to be the one to explain?"

"Oh yes." Dominic answered for them, all of them quite happy that they weren't The King and leader in this instance.

"Don't worry." Gina said, taking Aric's hand. "I'll be right here with you." She looked at him with pure love that did not go unnoticed by her parents.

"What the bloody hell is going on here?" Her father, Gareth, demanded. "Get your hands off my daughter. She knows she's not to date until she's thirty…or I'm dead…" Gina snorted.

"Oh don't worry dad," She said with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "We're not dating." She waited until he had breathed a sigh of relief. "We're married." Gareth froze in place and it took his wife, Gabriella, to get him to sit down again.

"Let's try not to break your father." Aric advised, though Gina only shrugged.

"It's his own fault." She muttered back.

"And that's as good a place as any to start, I suppose." Aric took a deep breath, preparing himself for the long tale ahead. "What we have to do with all of this, and what you saw on the video the news got hold of, was us awakening after two thousand years." The entire room was silent, the parents already hanging on his every word and he'd barely started. "In this life we are your children; however, we have lived before. Given you are sitting at The Round Table inside Camelot I am certain you can guess where I am going with this. Two thousand years ago I was known as Arthur Pendragon, King of Camelot and High King of a united Britain." Eyes widening and mouths dropping open was the only response he got to that news. "Gina wasn't entirely lying when she said we were married." He then directed to Gareth. "In our past life, Gina was my wife, Guinevere, The Queen of Camelot and High Queen of Britain. My friends, and fellow footballers in this time, were once The Knights of the Round Table. Sir Leon and Sir Percival were the First Knights of Britain." Leo and Pierce nodded as their names were called and they began to identify who was who. "Then there was Sir Lancelot, Sir Bors, Sir Tristan, Sir Galahad, Sir Dagonet and Sit Gwaine." They too identified themselves to their parents. "The one who brought you here is indeed the warlock Merlin. Also known as Emrys and The Immortal Mage. That would be why he doesn't have a present day counterpart. And-"

"I have a bit more obscure history." Miranda cut in. "My name was Mithian, I was the Princess of Nemeth, a neighbouring kingdom to Camelot, and was one day to be Queen. That is, until The High King united the land. I was actually glad when that happened," She looked to Merlin and took his hand much as Gina had Aric's. "For it allowed me to marry the man I love."

"You too?" Her father, Mark, ground out, while her mother Mary placed a restraining hand on his shoulder.

"Yes. Merlin and I were married."

"As was I." Leo spoke up. "I had married Princess Elena, the daughter of King Godwyn of Gawant. We had a young daughter, Sara…" The thought of his wife and daughter's loss was not a pleasant one. While not a pleasant thought for any of them, they all knew that their parents cared more about their lives than history and so spoke up as Leo had.

"I had a wife and two sons." Said Taylor.

"As did I." Dominic added.

"Wife, and a few kids." Ben muttered, hoping Dominic would let him get off, but he wasn't that lucky.

"A few kids? I'm pretty sure it was nine at last count." Bernard and Bianca, Ben's parents, turned to look at him with wide eyes.

"Hey, it was the medieval era, and we were older than we are now." He defended. "I was thirty-three when Camelot fell. And let me tell you, being ten years younger isn't all it's cracked up to be." The next two to gain the parents' attention were Gina and Aric who both smiled sadly.

"We had two children." Gina said.

"Well, two and a half." Aric corrected. "The Queen was with child."

"William, was our first," Gina continued as if Aric hadn't spoken. "Then we had Eleanor."

"Who had a secondary father in Percival." Gavin said, nudging Pierce with his elbow. "Princess Eleanor had him wrapped around her little finger."

"She did not." He muttered unconvincingly.

"Please." Leo scoffed. "You'd have dressed as a fairy and had a tea party if only The Princess had asked."

"Like you wouldn't for Sara." He retorted. The two glared at each other and the subject was wisely changed, or rather focused onto other people.

"And you?" Mark asked his daughter who shook her head sadly.

"No. Merlin and I were not blessed with children."

"Perhaps in this life, darling." Merlin said. Regardless of whether or not her parents were there, his wife was hurting, as she always did when she thought about their lack of children. "Remember that The Lady said all we hoped for would come to pass in this life." Miranda smiled and leaned over to kiss him on the cheek.

"The Lady?" Tiffany, Taylor's mother, asked.

"Do you mean The Lady of the Lake?" Her husband Ted added.

"Yes, that is exactly who he means." Aric said and took up the tale once more. They talked for hours, the parents listening to everything their children said as well as asking questions quite often. Deciding to be completely truthful with their parents they started at the beginning with Lady Guinevere's arrival at Camelot. The parents were naturally disturbed to hear that they had been married as children, though were glad to hear nothing had happened till they were grown when they glossed over that part; there were just some things you didn't talk to your parents about. They smiled upon hearing that Arthur had lifted the ban on magic, allowing Merlin to no longer hide, gasped when the existence of dragons was brought up and growled upon hearing of Morgana's betrayal. They displaced all the right reactions at the appropriate times, not once doubting their children's story. It took several hours to get everything out into the open, Merlin had popped away more than once for food, though the final time he did so he brought back news.

"We have a bit of a problem." He said as the Chinese take away containers were handed out.

"What is it, Merlin?" Aric asked.

"There's now several thousand people camped just outside the wards that protect Camelot."

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh."

"They're naturally curious." Gina reasoned. "It is not every day that legends literally come to life. And Arthurian legend is one that has been a part of British and European culture for centuries before spreading to the rest of the world."

"What are you going to do?" Gemma, Glen's mother, asked.

"He'll give a speech, probably." Glen answered. "It's what kings do in such situations."

"The question is do we allow them access to Camelot, or do we go to them?" Taylor asked as he and the other Knights began strategizing.

"It'll be easier to contain if they're inside Camelot." Pierce reasoned. "It's not like the Saxons bearing down upon us with no warning where the castle limited our movements. They have no weapons and we have prior warning."

"I can temporarily lift the wards." Merlin said. "And should things get out of hand it will be easy to eject them. Camelot is the safest place right now."

"We have no answers for them though." Said Aric. "We still don't know why we were reborn now, why The Once and Future King and Queen are needed."

"So we tell them that." Miranda imputed. "You know we can't just do nothing. If we confirm that yes this is Camelot and yes we are the reincarnations of King Arthur and his court it will be enough for now. Like it or not those are your people, Sire. You must tend to them." Her royal upbringing shone through as she spoke, knowing what needed to be done.

"They are not my people, they're Queen Elizabeth's people." He countered.

"You are The Once and Future King, Sire." Said Leo. "You were destined to rise again and lead _your_ kingdom and _your_ people into a new Golden Age. Princess Mithian is right, they are your people." As they fell further and further into this line of thinking, their past selves come forward.

"Alright, I'll make a speech then."

"Throne room or balcony?" Ben asked as they began to mobilize.

"Balcony, definitely." He replied. "We'll let them into the courtyard but not inside the castle. Besides we're to convince them we're here to help, or whatever it is we are here for. They do not need the image of Guinevere and I on our thrones, it will only serve to convince them we're trying to reign over them."

"Won't your crowns do that anyways?" Gavin had to ask.

"Possibly. But we can't help that one, let's just not make it worse, alright?" They agreed and the parents then got to see just how this group worked together. But first they got to see first hand what the video on the news had shown. Light shimmered over them and within moments their children were gone and before them stood the ancient royals, and The Knights of the Round Table.

"Merlin go find a way to inform them that they will be allowed inside the castle gates to the main courtyard in exactly thirty minutes from now." Arthur took command. "Percival, you, Bors, Dagonet and Galahad go and seal the castle, I don't want anyone to be able to go anywhere we don't want them. Leon, you and the others take our parents to the galley across from the balcony and open the windows, ensure they're comfortable. They'll be able to hear and see everything but will be safe should things get out of hand." He then turned to the parents. "Our parents or not, in this situation you are to follow our orders, do you understand?" Seeing only The High King of legend before them, the parents nodded their heads. "Do not leave the galley no matter what. If things get out of hand we will take care of it. Stay there until we come for you." Again they nodded and Arthur sent them off. Not long after Merlin returned saying that he had informed people and even adjusted the wards such that those entering the castle gates could only follow a certain path, allowing none to stray where they did not want them to go. Percival and Leon as well as the other Knights returned from their tasks as well, reporting that the castle was secure and their parents were all set in the galley. At the appointed time those still in the throne room heard a dull roar as a large crowd approached; no one had any doubt that the crowd clambering into the courtyard would be just as large as the one that had come to see Arthur and Gwen crowned as High King and Queen, meaning no space would be left empty.

"It is time, Sire." Tristan said from his spot by the window, having been keeping watch until the courtyard was full. Arthur sighed but stood nonetheless, offering Gwen his arm as he began the trek to the balcony that had seen many a public appearance or speech be made from.

"Keep a close eye out for trouble." He instructed. "We do not know who is in the courtyard and there may be someone, or some people, who wish us harm. Keep close to The Queen and Princess Mithian, they are your priority."

"Yes, Sire." The Knights mumbled. Merlin too nodded his head, but it went without saying that he would protect his wife and Gwen too. As the doors leading to the balcony opened a hush fell over the crowd, the silence of anticipation turning to one of shock when the group took their places. Arthur looked over the crowd once before speaking, noting the hundreds of cameras aimed in their direction, but seeing no threat.

"People of Britain," He began clearly. His words broke the crowd out of their reverie and the snap of those hundreds of cameras could be heard. "In the last twenty-four hours you have seen a video of supposedly impossible circumstances. So much so that it could easily be mistaken for a film with special effects. On top of that, this very castle, which yesterday appeared to not exist, suddenly materialized. However, for all its fantastical elements, you are here today because you believe the video you have seen to be true, and to be connected to this castle. You would be correct." The crowd broke out into chatter and Arthur gave them a moment before holding up his hand for silence. "You currently stand in the courtyard of Camelot Castle, the ancient seat of House Pendragaon, the former capital of Britain, and yes, it is _the_ Camelot of legend. I am Arthur Pendragon, King of Camelot, and High King of a united Britain." Again he paused to allow time for the crowd to quiet. "Or at least I was, two thousand years ago. Beside me is my wife and Queen, Guinevere Pendragon, The Queen of Camelot and High Queen of Britain. With us are The Knights of the Round Table, my Lord Mage, Merlin and his wife, Princess Mithian of Nemeth. What that video showed was our awakening. You see, Guinevere and I are also The Once and Future King and Queen. It was prophesized in times even more ancient than ours that when our kingdom was in need once more, we would rise again and lead our kingdom into another Golden Age. For two thousand years," Arthur shouted above the crowd, for his words proved too much for them. "For two thousand years we slumbered, awaiting the time we would be needed and our destinies would be fulfilled. Yesterday we awoke to a world that while certainly not turmoil free, is not on the brink of another dark age as we were led to believe would be the case when we awakened. We cannot tell you why we have awoken now, nor what is to happen from here, simply because we do not have those answers ourselves. However, I wish to assure you that regardless of my title of The Once and Future King, regardless of the ancient prophecies proclaiming I would one day reign again, that is not my intention. I lay no claim to Britain of the 21st century. For now we wish to carry on as normally as possible, and we ask for your discretion in this matter. We are not celebrities to be hounded by the press, so please respect-"

"Arthur look out!" Gwen shouted suddenly, pushing him aside. While Arthur had been looking to the crowd below, Gwen had allowed her gaze to wander and so saw the arrow that came from off to the left. Everything happened quickly after Gwen's shout. The Knights drew their swords and surrounded their King and Queen, pausing only long enough for Merlin to push Mithian into their protective circle as well, before the mage turned in the direction the arrow had come from and unleashed his magic. A cry was heard and a man fell off the ledge he had climbed on to.

"Bors, Lancelot, Gwaine, with me!" Leon shouted as he jumped off the balcony, thankful that Merlin's magic allowed for a soft landing. All four Knights ran to the fallen man while the other four stood ready in case he was not the only threat.

"Guinevere, sweetheart, please be alright." Arthur begged as he gathered her in his arms. "Merlin!" He cried when he spotted the blood.

"I'm alright, really, it's just a scratch." Gwen said, holding to hand to the wound on her arm, the arrow having only scratched her. With such a superficial wound Merlin was quick to heal it, allowing for their attention to turn to the man who had tried to kill Arthur. The King's gaze was hard and his eyes thunderous as he stood with Gwen tucked into his side and stared at the man his Knights dragged forward. If it was possible, Arthur's expression darkened further when he saw who it was.

"Mordred." He snarled.

"Hello Arthur." The Saxon King replied with an arrogant smirk. "It seems my plan failed. But your luck will run out, just as it did before." Arthur undid his cloak, letting it fall to the ground before taking his crown off and handing it to Gwen. With a quick look that promised he would return this time, Arthur too jumped off the balcony and slowly stalked forward, the crowd parting for him as he went.

"My luck?" He said through gritted teeth. "Don't you mean your lack of honour? I seem to remember no formal declaration of war, no warning at all in fact, as you used Morgana's magic to hide you and your army like thieves in the night until you were upon us in numbers we could not match. I remember the cries of my people as they were slaughtered in their homes. The cries of women and children as grown men took innocent lives. I only learned after awakening that some of those cries were my own wife and children. You had your men slit my children's throats, shove a dagger in my pregnant wife's belly, killing both her and our unborn child!" His voice had risen as he spoke until he was yelling, though he forced himself to regain his composure. "My _luck_ as you call it, is made up of years of training, years of defeating you Saxons, many hard won battles, and my honour, none of which you would know a thing about. You always took the easy way out, Mordred, always thought everything was your right and that it should be given to you without you given anything in return. It's what made you such easy prey for Morgana. Release him." He directed to his Knights, they did so hesitantly, keeping their hands on their swords, knowing Mordred would not play fair. "We will see how _lucky_ I am in a fair fight. Draw your sword, Mordred, and face me man to man, without your goons at my back."  
"But with yours at my back." Mordred returned.

"None of you are to interfere." He told his Knights.

"But Sire-" Leon protested.

"No. I command you, Sir Leon, to not interfere."

"As you command, My King." The First Knight grumbled.

"Draw your sword, Mordred." Arthur said again. The Saxon neither said anything nor made a move. "This is your last chance to face me in fair combat, as that thing called honour demands I give you." Again he made no move. "Very well. Then you will die a coward. Bring him." Arthur said before turning to leave. The moment his back was turned Mordred sprung into action, drawing his sword and going on the attack. Knowing of Mordred's cowardice, Arthur had been expecting this and so was ready when he heard movement behind him. Swinging back around, Arthur drew his sword in one fluid motion, Excalibur appearing in a bright flash of light, as he blocked the attack. "I thought you'd try to attack me with my back turned." He said as the two began their fight. It was no contest, Arthur was the more skilled swordsman without any doubt; add in Excalibur's power and Mordred had no chance of victory. The Saxon King went down to a well-placed blow to his side, his arm moving instinctively to cover the wound, allowing Arthur time to disarm him. Arthur threw Mordred's sword to Leon who caught it deftly before holding Excalibur at his enemy's neck. "I should show you the same mercy you showed my wife and children." He snarled. "But first you are going to tell me how you're here."

"Isn't it obvious?" Mordred spat. The wound he currently had would kill him, it was too deep not to; Mordred knew his time was up. "A mutual friend resurrected me. Say hello to her for me, Arthur. If she lets you live that long." The man then collapsed in a dead faint and it wasn't long before his life left him.

"Merlin." Arthur said without raising his voice and the warlock was by his side in a moment. He raised his staff and waved it over Mordred's body, making it, and any sign that he had been there, disappear. "You heard what he said."

"Yes."

"Now we know why we awakened in this time, Sire." Said Bors. The King nodded.

"Morgana."


	19. The Witch's Threat

_Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.  
_

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 **Chapter 19 – The Witch's Threat**

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The revelation that Morgana was most likely back did not sit well with anyone, least of all Merlin who loudly declared the impromptu press conference at an end, assuring all that should they linger longer than the ten minutes it would take to get outside the castle walls that he would remove them by magic. They all returned to the council chamber, Bors and Lancelot going to fetch their parents, who arrived to see both Arthur and Merlin pacing like caged animals as they hurled insults at each other.

"You said you dealt with her!" The King growled. "I knew you were incompetent, Merlin, but not this much!"

"My apologies, _Sire_! Do forgive your most _humble servant_ that the evil witch he killed returned without his knowledge! Though I didn't see King Dollop Head doing anything to help!"

"Magic is your realm, idiot, not mine!"

"So that means you can't-"

"Merlin!"

"Arthur!" Their wives shouted when they'd had enough of their fighting. "Enough!"

"Yes, dear."

"Sorry, sweetheart." They responded accordingly.

"So what _are_ we going to do about Morgana?" Leon asked finally when the two had calmed down.

"We do nothing." Gwen said, holding up her hand for silence when both Arthur and Merlin made to interrupt her. "If Merlin did not know that Morgana had returned, and that is _if_ Mordred was telling the truth and she really has, then she is hiding herself well. That means there is nothing we can do until she reveals herself."

"Queen Guinevere is right." Said Percival. "We've been down this road before. Morgana is an expert at hiding, we were never able to find her hideout. If she has returned it is very unlikely we will succeed now. Especially if Merlin cannot even sense her."

"I can't." Merlin grumbled. "So much for being the greatest sorcerer to ever exist."

"You are the greatest sorcerer to ever exist." Mithian said comfortingly, coming over and grasping his hand. "The ancient prophecies never said that you would be all powerful and would never face adversity."

"We beat her before, and we will again." Gwen said comfortingly to her own husband, following Mithian's example and coming to his side. "At least we now know why we have awoken in this time."

"I thought you said that it was possible Morgana hadn't returned." Arthur muttered. Gwen raised an eyebrow at him.

"Please. None of us actually believe that." Arthur couldn't fight her on that. Once the thought of Morgana having returned had entered his mind he knew it to be true; he wasn't lucky enough for it not to be.

"So now what?" Gwaine asked. "As wonderful as it is being home again, I'm going to say we should operate as if we'll survive the coming battle until proven otherwise."

"Meaning we shouldn't destroy our present day selves' futures and so can't stay here. There's classes to attend and end of term exams to take." Lancelot finished for his friend.

" _You're_ encouraging us to study?" Mithian asked, both her and Gwen being quite shocked. The Lancelot they knew hated learning of any kind if it came from a book and not on the training field. Though, they supposed, they didn't know the present day Logan very well.

"I'll have you know that I am set to graduate with third class honours, thank you very much."

"You're bragging about honours with Tristan in the room?" Bors laughed.

"First class honours?" Gwen asked happily, seeing that Tristan was still the scholar of their group.

"So long as I don't screw up my finals." He smiled back.

"And you?" Gwen asked her husband, who wouldn't look her way. "No honours I take it?" She was by no means upset, there was nothing wrong with graduating without honours. It was just the fact that Lancelot of all people had higher grades than him was too good a teasing opportunity to pass up.

"I could graduate with third class honours." He said. "So long as I get 95% or higher on every single one of my finals. Which isn't going to happen now. Not with all this going on."

"No, you will study, Arthur, do you understand?" Gwen chastised. "Like Gwaine said we will not ruin our present selves' futures, nor put them on hold until absolutely necessary." She turned to the group as a whole. "So we will return to university and our normal lives." She directed to the parents. "And we will keep you in the loop as much as we can." It was the only assurance they were going to get, they knew, given it was not their children who stood before them but a King and Queen of legend and their court. A fact they were still coming to terms with.

 **oo00oo00oo**

The return to Oxford was met with one singular reaction, the severity of which ranged from curiosity to absolute shock. People stared as they passed in the corridors while classmates and professors who they were previously on friendly terms with now seemed to not know how to act around them. The only one who reacted with joy was Miranda's professor in her introductory Arthurian legends course; the professor had spent his life learning and teaching about King Arthur and the time he was said to have lived in and now he had access to someone who had actually been there and knew the legendary King. That was one thing that they found a bit confusing: no one doubted that they were the reincarnations of arguably mythical beings for whose existence there was no solid historical evidence. Merlin did not have a real answer, stating only that it was probably ancient magic at work, for The Once and Future King and Queen rising again would be pointless if no one believed them. Whatever the case they were glad not to have to defend their existence, especially as they had enough other things to defend, or at least Aric, Gina and Miranda did, much to their annoyance. Leon had not been joking when he said that the Knights would work out a schedule to ensure they were never alone and unprotected and he had not changed his mind when returned to being Leo once more. He and Pierce demanded Gina's schedule from her and compared all of their schedules to hers and Aric's, working it so that at least one of the Knights were with them at all times. It was easier with Aric who had some classes with them, while two of Gina's were covered for she shared the mandatory first year English and philosophy classes with Miranda, who had Merlin as her shadow. In any case all three had to speak with their professors and explain either the Knights or Merlin's presence in their classes.

In the first week after their awakening Aric, Gina, Miranda and the Knights discovered how hard it was to have two people living inside your head, and how hard it was to find a balance between those people. Two thousand years ago Aric, Gina and Miranda's royal status had seen servants jumping at their every whim and a certain level of reverence from everyone who was not a royal themselves, even among their friends. The three had also been quite independent for the times, yet even so they did not blink an eye now when the Knights or Merlin jumped to do something for them given the absence of servants, nor did Merlin or the Knights bat an eye at performing such tasks. More often than not they even referred to them as 'Your Majesty' or 'My Lord/Lady', a lifetime of conditioning being hard to overcome even two thousand years later. And so it was unsurprising to find Gina going to lunch in the student cafeteria with her two guards, with Ben carrying her tray and Pierce pulling her chair out for her with a murmur of "My Lady." Once seated all three took out their books or laptops and began studying, though Pierce and Ben took turns surveying the area for threats.

"You can study at the same time you know." Gina called them on it. "Morgana is not known for her sneak attacks, we'd see it coming even without your vigilance."

"You mean like her illusions, which no one saw until it was too late?" Pierce countered.

"Or her penchant for using magic to shield an army until they catch us completely unawares?" Ben added.

"Our apologies, Your Majesty, if we do not bet your safety on Morgana attacking with something as conspicuous as a Wilddeoren." Pierce said, sending her a look as if to say she should know better. Gina merely rolled her eyes but left them to it. They had been studying for not twenty minutes when a group of girls took a seat a couple tables away from them, their voices carrying loudly, and drawing the attention of Pierce and Ben when someone they knew well was mentioned.

"So are you and Aric back together then?" One girl asked.

"Oh yes. He spent the night yesterday. We only crawled out of bed when I said I absolutely couldn't miss my second class of the day." Gina softly scoffed under her breath, still not looking up from her books. Aric's name had naturally drawn her attention, as Arthur's always had in the past, though once she had seen who it was that spoke she was determined not to rise to the bait, for that is exactly what it was; there was no reason for Amber to know that Aric had essentially moved Gina into his room, but it meant Gina knew with absolute certainty that her lie was just that. Gina's quiet scoff had been heard by the two men who looked to her cautiously.

"You know who that is then?" Ben asked, he and Pierce being only too familiar with Aric's former girlfriend.

"Oh yes. She was pointed out to at the football match before…well before everything happened. I was actually advised to not get in her way as she attempted to get Aric back."

"I never did like her." Pierce mumbled, following Gina's example and trying to ignore Amber and her clique. It proved difficult, however, for the two Knights as Amber's words turned insulting.

"You know Margie told me that some strumpet was asking about my Aric at the game." The offensive word saw both men tense, having never taken an insult to their Queen kindly.

"Ignore it." Gina murmured, though that proved impossible for the Knights as Amber continued her attack, her words only confirming that she knew Gina was there and who she was and that this was just that, an attack on their Queen.

"But wasn't that woman his wife?" One of Amber's friends finally asked. "Or his past self's wife?"

"That doesn't matter, it's not like an ancient marriage would hold up now anyways." Amber said flippantly. "Aric assured me that whoever she supposedly was a long time ago she's nothing but a first year tart throwing herself at him now" Gina's arm came up to stop Pierce from jumping up. "He proposed you know. I told him I couldn't possibly accept until after graduation but then there would be nothing stopping us from being together. He even mentioned that his past self felt the same and couldn't wait to make me his queen."

"Not bloody likely." Ben growled.

"Benjamin!" Gina snapped. "Enough!"

"You can't possibly expect us to just sit here as that wench insults your honour!" Pierce joined in.

"That is exactly what I expect." Amber's table had gone silent as they listened in, though Gina did not raise her voice. "We know her words to be naught but lies. It is beneath our dignity to respond to one such as her." Her words calmed the Knights somewhat, but not even Gina's staying hand and firm voice could stop their response when Amber spoke to her directly.

" 'One such as me?' " She demanded with venom in her voice, coming to stand before Gina, her clique flanking her. "This 'one' is Aric's fiancée, the future wife of King Arthur!" Amber was not one for subtlety, her voice having grown louder and drawing the attention of others in the cafeteria. "He spent the night with me, he loves me! And it's no wonder when the alternative is an adulterous cow like you. The _entire world_ knows of your affair with Lancelot! You're just a jealous cow who doesn't want to admit that I won!" A light briefly flashed as Ben and Pierce lost the fight to keep their past selves down, leaving two fully armoured Knights of the Round Table in their place.

"You would do well to not insult our Queen so." Percival snarled.

"We know you lie, least of all because Their Majesties spent the night together, as they have every night since they were reunited." Bors added.

"And the 'entire world' as you say, knows nothing, just as you don't. Chrétien de Troyes made up that disgusting piece of fiction. The Queen never betrayed The King so, or in any manner, their love was well known throughout all of Britain."

"Sir Percival, Sir Bors, that is quite enough." Gina spoke, still holding on to her control, though only just. She had allowed the two their say, knowing from experience that she would not be able to stop them until they did, but she would allow no more.

"My Queen we cannot allow your honour to be impugned so!" Percival argued.

"Yes you can. This is no longer the medieval era where any slight to the nobility could land you in the stocks. In fact the stocks no longer even exist save in a museum or as a prop in some show. As such you will let it go."

"I'd gladly build some for her." Bors growled.

"Enough, Sir Bors. This ends now." Gina looked to both Knights before pointedly taking her seat once more, clearly expecting them to follow her example. It was a long moment before they did and when Amber remained where she was instead of leaving Gina began packing her bag, knowing it was best to leave as the two Knights would not return to their present day selves until they were away from Amber.

"Aric is mine!" Amber burst out when Gina stood, still having not once acknowledged her. "I don't know who you think you are but he's mine, and I won't let some… _whore_ stand in my way!" Bors and Percival each took a menacing step forward but Gina held up her hand to stop her as she finally turned to face Amber, another brief flash of light signalling the loss of her own control, though she was quite pleased that she'd lasted this long; it was quite an accomplishment for a Queen who was used to commanding respect and instantly putting down anyone who did not show her her due. Seeing two of the legendary Knights of the Round Table fully decked out as such was quite awe-inspiring on its own, but seeing The Queen of legend looking every bit as a Queen should, was something else, especially when that Queen was the object of your ire.

" 'Who do I think I am?' " Gwen repeated softly. "I think it is quite obvious who I am. I am Guinevere Pendragon, Queen of Camelot and High Queen of Britain. I am the wife of High King Arthur and together we are The Once and Future King and Queen. Our destinies have been intertwined for two thousand years, our love having withstood that long. Not even the force that destroyed us and our kingdom, that saw us relegated to naught of legend, could tear Arthur and I apart. If that evil could not succeed, you do not stand a chance, and I would advise you not to try, for next time it may not be the Knights I can command who stand with me, but my _husband_ , The King, who's temper and actions I cannot hope to quell." This was not true by any means, Gwen was actually quite good and handling Arthur, having gotten it down to an art where in some cases a mere look was enough to have him submit to her wishes; however, Amber did not need to know that. Gwen stared down the other girl who looked like she would love nothing better then respond, or even better, punch Gwen in the face. Whether she would unwisely give in, however, would not be found out as a frantic Merlin suddenly appeared before them.

"Merlin what is it?" Gwen asked instantly, knowing all too well that look on his face. Merlin did not answer her beyond a polite greeting; instead he turned to face Bors.

"Vanora and your children have been found." Percival reached over and grasped his fellow Knight when the man wavered, his mind working enough as Merlin flashed the three of them away to be glad that he had not fainted, for he never would have heard the end of it.

"Papa! Papa!" The voice of several children were heard before the room had even fully materialized and Bors found himself knocked to the ground as he was attacked by little arms wrapping themselves around him. Bors wrapped his arms around as many as he could and happily listened to their nonsensical chatter as they vied for his attention. After awhile Bors extracted himself from their grasp and saw his three oldest standing to the side, having purposefully not entered the fray given they were much bigger than their younger siblings, though their smiles were no less bright.

"Gilly." He murmured pulling his seventeen-year-old into a hug, quickly followed by fifteen-year-old Anna and fourteen-year-old James.

"Are you crying, papa?" Young Anthony, who was seven, asked.

"Absolutely not." Bors grumbled. Looking down as his other children, whose ages ranged from twelve to five, Bors was truly content for the first time in this life, he no longer felt like something was off or missing; at least he was content, until he noticed that there were only eight children before him.

"Where's Roy?" He asked, looking for his second youngest who had been six-years-old, and the companion of Prince William.

"The Witch kidnapped him." A voice he knew all too well said.

"Vanora…" Still clutching his youngest in one arm Bors reached out and pulled his wife to him, giving her a kiss before turning back to the matter at hand. "What do you mean the Witch kidnapped him? What happened?"

"We awoke yesterday. We were lucky that we weren't separated. In this time I'm a foster mum, to all nine of our children."

"Who will all be legally adopted so the authorities in this time have no claim on them." Bors interrupted.

"My name in this time is Veronica, by the way. The children's are the same, thank god. There's enough trouble remembering nine names, don't want to think about having to remember eighteen." Bors grunted in agreement. "We'd all seen the news, of course, so this morning I packed them in the car and headed here. We couldn't drive all the way to the gates, wherever the road used to be I couldn't find it so we got out to walk when she came."

"Morgana?" Bors clarified. Vanora nodded.

"She wanted all of our children, but with so many of them she couldn't keep track of them all, which held her off until Merlin came."

"They were close enough to the wards surrounding Camelot for me to feel Morgana's magic." The warlock took over explaining. "When she saw me she grabbed Roy and disappeared."

"I'm going to tan that boy's hide when I get him back." Vanora snapped, though they knew it was an empty threat; she had never once hit her children. "The Witch didn't just grab the nearest kid, _your_ son charged her with his toy sword! He takes a couple lessons with a wooden sword from you and he gains your arrogance!"

"Oi! He's _our_ son, not just mine!" Vanora narrowed her eyes but said nothing else; this was not the time for such an argument.

"So how are we getting him back?" She asked the room in general.

"I'm hoping the magical trace she left behind will be enough for me to trace her." Merlin answered. "If it is then-" He cut off and his head snapped towards the door.

"Merlin?" Arthur questioned.

"Someone just entered the castle gates." Arthur and his Knights reached for their swords, but Merlin held up a hand to stop them.

"It means someone else has awakened, or one of your parents has come to visit. I used a tricky bit of magic to make the wards such that only those I key into the them can enter here. Only our family, both past and present, have such access." They didn't have to wait long before a knock sounded at the doors. Gwaine went to open them, and smiled at who he saw.

"Mother…" Merlin murmured, seeing Hunith walk into the room.

"Oh, Merlin!" She gasped, rushing forwards and wrapping an arm around her son, being cautious of the bundle in her arms, a bundle that drew Merlin's attention when they pulled apart.

"Am I to take it that I have a baby sister?" He asked cautiously, not sure how he felt about that.

"No! Good god no!" Hunith vehemently denied, looking horrified by the very thought. "You were more than enough, thank you very much."

"Then who's baby is this?" In answer Hunith turned to look at the other occupants of the room, her eyes finally landing on the curly haired First Knight.

"Sir Leon, Sara has missed her father." Hearing his daughter's name Leon rushed forward and gently pushed the blanket the baby was wrapped in away from her face, seeing indeed that it was his daughter. Taking the little girl into his arms Leon sighed in contentment along side her, when she burrowed her little head into his shoulder as she had done countless time in their previous life.

"Thank you, Hunith, for bringing her to me." He said.

"Lady Elena would have brought her if it weren't for Morgana." The former Head Housekeeper replied.

"Morgana took Elena? She took Roy as well." Said Leon at Hunith's nod.

"She tried to take Sara, but Elena stood in her way and allowed herself to be taken instead."

"So she's going after all the children then?" Gwen spoke for the first time since leaving the cafeteria. "That means that William and Eleanor could…" She looked to Arthur with both hope and despair in her eyes. If both Leon and Bors' children had been reborn, it was likely that her children had too; however, that made them a target for Morgana, probably the biggest target aside from Arthur himself.

"If they are here we will find them, sweetheart." He assured her. As Leon and Bors got reacquainted with their children, and the others pondered who else could have been reborn, Merlin withstood his mother's questioning, though he didn't care in the least that she was practically interrogating him for he had her back after all this time. After a few minutes Mithian had joined them, Hunith greeting her daughter-in-law happily, before Merlin turned the interrogation on her.

"Are you happy in this life, mother? If you aren't I will fix it." Hunith smiled at how simply he said it, as if he would simply wave his hand and cast some spell to change her life if she wasn't happy with it. Of course, given who he was, she didn't doubt that he could do just that.

"I am quite happy, Merlin. More so, now that I have my son and daughter-in-law, with me, but I was still happy. My name is Hannah in this time," She explained. "And I am a nurse at a hospital in Richmond, outside London. Elena, or Ellie as she is known now, is a nurse alongside me." Leon had heard his wife's name and so joined them as well, learning what he could about her life in this time. "Sara is her daughter in this time as well, and magic is clearly at work for while she knows that Sara is hers biologically, and knows who the father is, it was never anything concrete. She only had feelings really, that she knew and loved Sara's father, and that he was away, but she never found it odd that she didn't know his name or that he never returned home."

"So there isn't another man in her life." Leon said feeling relieved.

"No there isn't." Hunith confirmed. "We remembered earlier today and when our shifts ended we went to fetch Sara from the nanny to come here, but Morgana caught us before we could even get in the car."

"At least you and Sara are safe, and we will get Elena back." Merlin promised.

"There's more." Said Hunith. "Elena and I are not the only ones to work at the hospital." She paused and Merlin raised his eyebrow.

"Oh?"

"Uncle Gaius is a doctor there."

"Has he awoken?" Merlin asked hopefully.

"Yes, he awoke at the same time as Elena and I."

"Well where is he? Why did he not come with you?"

"He said that now he has awoken he recognized some of his neighbours were like us as well and wanted to check on them first. If they had awakened too they would come together."

"It'll take too long for them to get here, and with Morgana kidnapping people I don't want to risk leaving them in the open. I'll go get them." Merlin disappeared without another word, giving his mother and those who had only just awoken quite a surprise.

"Merlin has become quite powerful in his two thousand years." Mithian explained with some sadness as was always the case when she thought of her husband's many years alone. "He has become even more powerful than The Lady herself." This news was both surprising and not. They knew Merlin was supposed to be the greatest sorcerer to ever exist and so it was not surprising that that is exactly what he had become. However, given the way he spoke about The Lady of the Lake, a part of them had questioned whether he would ever be that powerful.

"Mithian is right, their roles appear to have reversed somewhat." Arthur said as he and Gwen joined them.

"Your Majesties." Hunith curtseyed, though neither allowed it for long, immediately pulling her up and welcoming her back with a hug.

"What do you mean their roles have reversed?" Hunith then asked.

"It was subtle, but the reverence Merlin showed The Lady due to her power is gone, and there are traces of such reverence when The Lady spoke to Merlin." Gwen answered.

"The Lady was here?!" This was truly surprising, no one had heard of The Lady of the Lake leaving Avalon or the Isle of the Blessed since Uther's purge of magic, and before that only rarely did she leave her home.

"Indeed, much has changed." The conversation turned much lighter after that as they all got acquainted with who they were in this time. Though Bors and Percival both earned The Queen's ire when they told Arthur about Amber's attack on her. He was quite upset about it, ready to go confront Amber himself, had Gwen not stopped him. Gwen then got off the subject by asking Bors what he was going to do now that he found Vanora and his children. He was in school, after all, unable to move to be with them, while his dorm was far from large enough for them all, and Vanora was no doubt older than him if she was a foster mum, while given his younger age then he had been two thousand years ago, many of his children were physically too old to be his children. She succeeded in distracting him even if he merely responded that he would have to do with visits for the final month of classes and then they would figure it out. By then Merlin had been gone far too long for anyone's liking, though he returned just short of Arthur mounting a search party, with Gaius at his side, both looking the worse for wear.

"What happened?!" Arthur demanded as he and Hunith helped the two to a couple of chairs.

"What do you think happened?" Merlin grumbled. "Morgana's been one step ahead of us this whole time."

"Merlin was barely able to get me out." Gaius said. "Morgana had already captured the ones I sought to bring to Camelot. She was debating about taking me as well or simply killing me when Merlin arrived."

"Who was it, Gaius?" Hunith asked.

"Alaria, Mary and the children." He said, looking to both Dagonet and Tristan. Both men laughed happily at their families having been found, though they quickly sobered, remembering that while they'd been found, they were also in Morgana's clutches.

"We will get them back." Arthur assured his friends.

"And I have an even better way than hoping her magical signature is enough." Merlin said. He held up a wet scrap of black cloth.

"What is a wet cloth going to do?" Dagonet asked.

"The cloth is a piece of Morgana's clothing, and it is soaked in her blood. With this I can search for her life force which is much harder to hide than magic."

"So you'll definitely be able to find her then?" Tristan sounded hopeful.

"Yes."

"Then do what you need to do, Merlin, so we may get our family back."

 **oo00oo00oo**

With Morgana going on the offensive and bits of their family returned to them, it was unanimously decided that they would stay within the protection of Camelot that night. Arthur and Gwen retired to their chambers shortly after dinner and made use of the large modern bath, which stuck out like a sore thumb in the medieval castle.

"Do you think we'll find them, Arthur?" Gwen asked as she leaned back into him, resting her head on his shoulder. Arthur did not need to ask who she spoke of.

"I don't know." He answered honestly.

"But with everyone else's children turning up, surely-"

"We can't know for sure, Guinevere." He hated having to say that there was a chance they would not see their children again, but he knew it would be far worse if either of them got their hopes up and it never happened. "All we know for certain at the moment is that Morgana does not have them. If she did she would be at Camelot's gates demanded we do whatever she asks in return for their lives. The fact that she isn't tell us that either she simply hasn't found them, or…"

"Or they were not reborn alongside us." Gwen finished. Arthur wrapped his arms around his wife, holding her close as they both tried not to think of that possibility. "I don't know if I can live without them, Arthur." Gwen spoke again finally.

"We will look for them, sweetheart, I promise you. If they do not turn up by the time Morgana is defeated then we will search."

"Must we wait that long?" She asked, though she already knew the answer.

"Yes. Finding them now would only place them in danger. Morgana would stop at nothing to get her hands on them to harm us. She's already kidnapped the children and wives of some of our Knights in order to exact her vengeance, we cannot allow the same to happen to our children too, for they would be in far worse danger."

"She is cruel to go after children."

"She knows where to hurt us the most." He growled. "Our love for our children was no secret. Contrary to the times we were overly affectionate even in public, we took care of them ourselves for the most part, which was unheard of. I remember when I was William's age and I had a 'daily viewing' with father. My nurse would bring me before him for but a few minutes each day, and sometimes not even every day. When I grew and started training as a knight he showed more interest in me, but it was never an affectionate interest, but rather a calculating one. He would assess how long it would take before I was ready to lead men into battle. Such was the way of the lives of royal children, and often simply noble ones."

"I don't remember my father much." Gwen said. "I know he loved me. I remember…feelings mostly. Knowing I was happy when he was around."

"Well, I cannot say how glad I am for that as it paved the way for how we are with our children. I am glad that William and Eleanor are not being raised as I was."

" _Were_ not you mean. Past tense unless we find them."

"If they are here, Guinevere, we will. Morgana will not have her revenge. We will get our family back, defeat her, then do all we can to find our children."


	20. The Lesson in Vengeance

_Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.  
_

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 **Chapter 20 – The Lesson in Vengeance**

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Arthur and Gwen awoke the next morning feeling no better than they had the previous day, but determined nonetheless. While it hurt to see their friends with their children while they themselves did not have theirs, they would never wish this loneliness on their friends and were happy for them. When they entered the presence chamber it was to see everyone had already beaten them there. Bors was trying to bring some semblance of order to the chaos that was the eight of this children that were present and Leon was spoon feeding his tiny daughter what looked like some mashed banana while the others were deep in discussion. The Knights stood when they noticed their monarchs, Leon nodded his head so as not to disturbed his daughter, and bid them a good morning. As they sat down for their own breakfast they listened to Merlin lead the planning of getting their family back. Arthur, who at this point would normally have interrupted his Court Mage with some form of insult and comment that Merlin could not possibly know enough about strategizing to be able to be of any use, was actually quite impressed with the warlock's plans. It seemed that Merlin was taking the attack on their family personally, for his plans were far more thought out, and ruthless, than Arthur ever thought it possible for Merlin to come up with. The plan was quite simple in theory. Merlin would use his magic on the cloth soaked in Morgana's blood to locate her and alongside Arthur and the Knights, would then storm her hideout. While it seemed simple, none of them were under any illusions that Morgana would not use every bit of her magic to protect the place, which was why Merlin would go with them, to fight magic with magic. Once everyone was fed and the children taken care of Arthur and the Knights prepared to leave. Gwen was not happy that she could not come, nor was Mithian, the two cited reasons that it was now the 21st century and women were not forbidden from the battlefield, but Arthur and Merlin won out against their wives as they countered with the girls' lack of fighting skills and magic; both women had taken martial arts lessons as children and still knew enough for self-defence, but they certainly could not fight an entire battle. Leon and Bors lessened their upset by placing the children in their care, or rather Leon handed Sara to Gwen while Bors not so subtly nudged his two youngest to distract Mithian; Vanora looking on approvingly. That done, the two stood back with their King and fellow Knights while Merlin magicked them away. They arrived in a mountainous range that looked vaguely familiar with no civilization in sight.

"We're in Saxon territory, aren't we?" Asked Percival. He recognized the mountain. It was very difficult to access, impossible by horse, he remembered, and treacherous by foot; it was unsurprising that few people had reached it even in two thousand years, so it remained relatively unchanged.

"The Saxons technically don't exist anymore," Merlin said. "It's the Scottish highlands."

"But I'm right that it used to be Saxon territory."

"Yes. In fact I think I know where Morgana's hiding, and you lot may recognize it as well, even as crumbled and decayed as I expect it to be." He mumbled. Stealthily he led them over the nearest ridge and around a corner. The ruins of a castle came into view and given the land they were in, no one had any doubt as to who's castle it used to be.

"Mordred's castle." Arthur growled. "But why would Morgana hole up here? Is this not the first place we would look?"

"Perhaps she thought that none of us would think that it still stands." Dagonet suggested. "Or knowing we would think this the obvious place she thought we would not search here, believing she'd never choose the obvious location."

"Either is plausible." Arthur allowed. "Now we have to find a way in without being seen."

"And hope we don't run into any guards she may have with her." Gwaine added.

"There are only nine people inside, one of them has a great deal of magic." Merlin said. Arthur and his Knights looked to him, seeing his eyes were closed and a look of deep concentration on his face; while they couldn't say exactly what he was doing, they assumed he was using his magic in some way to be able to tell them that.

"So Morgana and our families." Dagonet surmised.

"If you can sense them, can she not sense us?" Galahad asked, none of them wanted to alert Morgana to their presence. Merlin opened his eyes to look at the Knight, giving him a smirk.

"Oh no. I'm blocking any magic she may use to try and sense our approach."

"You can do that?" Lancelot had to ask.

"Course I can."

"You make it sound like it is an easy feat to achieve and that is takes no effort." Arthur commented.

"That's because it is easy and it doesn't take effort." Merlin shrugged.

"Are there any limits to your power Merlin?" Asked Leon

"Of course there are." The warlock shot the First Knight an incredulous look. "How could you think otherwise?"

"Oh I don't know." Arthur said as they began to make their way towards the ruins. "Maybe because you haven't shown any sign of limitations or effort in any magic you have used since we awoke. And you are the prophesized strongest sorcerer to ever exist."

"That doesn't mean that I'm all powerful."

"Then what _can't_ you do?" It was a fair question, and one all of them wanted to know.

"I can't bring people back from the dead." He answered promptly. "If I could then I wouldn't have had to wait two thousand years for your return."

"And…?" The King prompted when Merlin went silent for too long.

"I can't go against the natural order of things…well, not entirely."

"What does that even mean?" Percival all but demanded.

"It means…" Merlin thought for a moment before answering. "It means that I can't create life. I can heal a person who is dying, but not bring them back if they're dead. I can revive flowers that have turned brown, but only so far as if there is still some life left in them. I can't stop the world from revolving around the sun, nor turn off gravity…there's lots I can't do."

"But there's lots more that you _can_ do." Arthur murmured. Merlin merely nodded.

"Well, how about using some magic that you can use to get us into the castle undetected and our families home safe?" Tristan suggested. Merlin's smirk returned and this time it was almost feral.

"Oh Sir Tristan…I intend to do far more than that."

 **oo00oo00oo**

Inside the ruins of the ancient Saxon castle, Morgana was pacing in front of her captives. She should have seen some sign of a rescue attempt by now. Arthur was not one to sit around and do nothing, especially while those he called friends and family were in danger. She had expected not only a rescue attempt, but also a botched one, for no doubt Arthur would rush in with his sword swinging, not having thought out any plan. That was his way, and with Mordred gone for good, he should be feeling quite unbeatable which should have made him even more reckless in his attack. It was why she had chosen now to make her move; the more reckless Arthur was, the easier it would be to defeat him once and for all. Regardless of having Emrys at his side, she was not terribly concerned that her plan could fail. Emrys was not the only one who had spent the past two thousand years gaining more power.

Once Emrys had unleashed the full force of his magic on the battlefield and killed her, for she had been undeniably dead, Morgana found that her soul remained earthbound. Upon her sister's death she was the last High Priestess of the Old Religion and although her mortal body could perish, it was far more difficult to ensure her soul moved on as well. Morgause had taken measures to prevent just such an occurrence. She had used a great deal of magic to bind Morgana's soul to the earth to ensure that even in death she had a chance to achieve their goals. It was what had allowed Morgause to be killed so easily, she was weak when they entered that battle.

With Morgause's protections in place, Morgana's soul had lingered and had found its way to the cave where the Dochraid resided. The ancient creature of the Old Religion possessed a burning hatred for Uther Pendragon as he had been the one to blind her and attempt to burn her at the stake, causing her grotesque appearance when she finally escaped from the flames and was forced into hiding. Regardless of whether or not Arthur had returned magic to Camelot and had united the people of Britain as one, her hatred of Uther ran so deep that she could not overlook the fact that he was a Pendragon. Morgana's own status as Uther's illegitimate daughter, however, could be forgiving as it was well known that she had betrayed the Pendragon dynasty and had worked tirelessly to remove Arthur from the throne. With the help of the Dochraid, Morgana spent centuries honing her power while in a world that could only be described as limbo; while her soul stayed on Earth, her consciousness could not without a body and so she remained in a world between life and death. Finally Morgana had gained enough power to create a new body for herself, though it was an exact replica of her old body. This event had taken place some thirty years ago, right before Arthur, Guinevere and their court were reborn. With her body returned, Morgana could use her magic to its full extent instead of using the vast majority of it to communicate with the Dochraid from limbo; making magic in the land of the living while you yourself did not reside there was extremely difficult, and would be impossible for many. Creating a body, a true one and not merely a shade of the dead, was also a large feat in of itself and was made that much more impossible from limbo; however, Morgana managed it, even if it took near two thousand years.

Once she regained her body she began making plans, acclimatizing to the modern world and preparing for the day that she could finally destroy Arthur and fulfill her destiny as High Queen of all Britain. She'd brought Mordred back, though he himself was a mere shade at her command, and allowed him one last attempt at Arthur, though he had failed spectacularly. She had debated with gathering more followers, though had decided against it. In the modern world she did not need soldiers to fight a war when a single flick of her wrist could have all the modern warfare she desired at her fingertips; dropping an nuclear missile on top of Camelot with Arthur inside sounded quite appealing, though she hesitated as she'd learned that such nuclear weapons could make the land inhabitable for miles and while she wanted Arthur dead, she did not wish to destroy the Britain she hoped to rule. She was prepared, however, to use her magic to get her whatever weapons and soldiers she may need in the future, she'd always been good at controlling people, and so for the time being she and her magic were the only weapons she needed; none, not even Emrys, could stand up to her.

" _Perhaps if I sent a message?"_ She thought as she continued to pace. _"A finger or toe of one of the children should do the trick."_ She looked to her captives, none of whom appeared terribly frightened, which irritated her to no end. Mary was clutching her young sons to her, looking weary though not scared. Alaria had a similar grasp on her children, though her expression was almost daring Morgana to try something, while Elena stood protectively at their side, offering more comfort for the children, and having a restraining hand on Roy. The former companion to The Prince had heard all about Morgana in his past life and he and William had played at war many times where they defeated her. In his young mind this meant he had nothing to fear and was convinced that he could defeat her with naught but his wooden sword if he had it, and if Elena would release him.

"Don't even think about it." Alaria hissed, seeing Morgana eyeing them up. "You have leverage only so long as we remain unharmed. You touch any one of us and there'll be hell to pay when Dagonet come for us."

"And Tristan." Mary added.

"Leon too. Not to mention The King, and the other Knights." Elena said.

"Oh I'm counting on them coming." Morgana said mockingly. "I'm counting on them running in here with their swords swinging as usual. As if a mere sword could stand up to a High Priestess of the Old Religion."

"You underestimate them." Lucan, the oldest of the children present, spoke up. "You did that before and look what happened."

"Yeah, and The King's got Excalibur!" Roy added.

"Excalibur…The Lady's power has been wasted on Arthur. Excalibur could pose a problem if in the hand of someone who knew how to truly wield its power. But as Excalibur only exists in Arthur's hands, I think I'm safe. My dear brother has never been the sharpest tool around."

"Is that truly what you think of me, Morgana?" A voice rang out, causing every head to whip around in its direction.

"Papa!" Five little voices cried as they saw their fathers standing alongside their King.

"You lot alright?" Dagonet asked for them all as he, Leon, Tristan and Bors looked their wives and children over.

"We're fine." Alaria said, unable to hide her tears as she looked on her husband for the first time in two thousand years.

"Your son, however, Bors, has given us a bit of trouble, wanting to take Morgana on all by himself." Elena complained, though half in jest, knowing from her years with Leon that distracting the enemy could be very important to a plan and that if they hadn't wanted a distraction they would have attacked instantly.

"Royston, you listen to Lady Elena and do _not_ attempt anything!" Bors growled the order to his son, knowing Elena wasn't entirely joking and that his boy would try just that if given the chance. "You leave the assault to us."

"An assault won't be necessary." Morgana finally cut them off. "Those won't be necessary either." With a wave of her hand their drawn swords went flying from their grasp, Morgana having used their distraction against them. However, not all of them had drawn their swords just yet, and the Witch's attention was drawn to her nemesis as Excalibur shimmered to life.

"I see you've gotten smarter since we last met." She directed to Arthur, her advantage forfeit as the one blade that could kill her pointed her way. Although she had magic on her side, she had no doubt that Merlin was close by to counter any magical attack sent Arthur's way, and without a sword of her own she would not be able to parry Arthur's blade. Unfortunately for her the loss of her advantage meant the Knights were able to retrieve their weapons.

"You always have underestimated us, Morgana." He returned. "We haven't actually changed much, but for once you're not hiding away behind an army of puppets and actually have to face us yourself."

"I have never been scared of you, Arthur Pendragon." She snapped.

"Then face me on even ground. Use your skill with a sword that you always boasted was better than mine."

"Now why would I do that when I have so much more than a sword in my arsenal?" Morgana raised her hand to attack but suddenly found herself thrown back against the wall.

"Then you won't mind that Arthur uses everything in his arsenal as well." Merlin said, coming to stand beside his King.

"Even if it is not his own power, you cannot deny that I am and always have been guarding his back and been at his command." Morgana was briefly stunned and the Knights used those few moments to reach their families and begin herding them outside. They had used the short distraction when they first arrived to allow Merlin to sneak in, knowing that if Morgana saw him that she would use her magic to protect herself, and shield their families making it impossible to reach them. With her believing they were alone, however, her arrogance would allow for her to believe that she could stop any attack or rescue attempt before they could hit or reach their target.

"Emrys…" Morgana growled. Although Arthur was the one who most predominantly stood in her way to the throne of Britain, for so long as he lived she could never be Queen, Merlin had proven much more of a thorn in her side; without him she would no doubt have destroyed Arthur long before now.

"Hello Morgana."

"Your power is weak, Emrys." She taunted. "There was barely any force behind that bit of magic at all."

"I wasn't trying to kill you, Morgana, merely distract you. You'll notice that your leverage is gone." She looked to the side and noticed just that, but still she would not give up.

"Even so, do not think that you can defeat me. I have spent the last two thousand years harnessing more power, and-"

"As have I." Merlin interrupted. "I am The Immortal Mage, Morgana. The one of prophecy said to be the greatest sorcerer to ever exist. My power is now even greater than The Lady of the Lake's. Do not underestimate me or it will be the last thing you ever do." Morgana did not respond to that. She seemed to be determining if she thought what he said was true or not. "How do you think we got in here without you noticing? I've been blocking your magic, Morgana." This caused a reaction and in her anger Morgana summoned a fireball and threw it at the warlock, though short flick of his wrist saw it disappear before it could make contact.

"Regardless of how powerful you think you are, Emrys, I will have my revenge! On all of you!" She tried to attack once more but her burst of magic was batted away with barely any effort.

"Your mind truly is warped if you believe that it is you who deserves vengeance." Merlin threw his own burst of magic that was too powerful for Morgana to block. It hit its mark and once more she found herself thrown back against the wall, tiny bits of rubble crumbling from the ceiling as the ancient stone took a beating it was no longer strong enough for. "We are the ones who deserve vengeance. You sought to destroy us, you betrayed your family and friends, and you kept a war going long after it should have ended. You attacked Camelot with no warning, taking the cowards way with no formal declaration of war, and massacred thousands of people, bringing an end to an era of peace that was supposed to have been the greatest the world would ever see, long before its time. So tell me, how is it _you_ that deserves vengeance?"

"The throne of Britain is rightfully mine! _He_ stole it from me!" She shouted. Merlin sighed.

"We've heard all this before, and it seems nothing has changed. Not your arguments, not our response, nor you denying logic and fact when presented to you." Morgana's fury became more apparent and she looked to Arthur who merely shook his head, completely at ease in allowing Merlin to do the talking; while they had all waited two thousand years for this, Merlin had been conscious of those two millennia, living each day while the others slumbered, waiting to be needed once more.

"So what do you propose to do, Emrys?" She finally asked. So far Merlin had done little but push her back; however, she was under no illusions that that was all he intended to do, he had sworn vengeance after all.

"I am taking your High Priestesshood from you." His response was sombre with no malice nor joy.

"Impossible." Morgana breathed once she'd gotten over the shock of his words. "Only The Triple Goddess can remove High Priestesses from her order and I have been a faithful disciple of hers!"

"To the contrary. The Triple Goddess is angry, Morgana. You commit atrocities in her name and she is tired of it. The Disir have spoken, and have chosen me to carry out The Triple Goddess' will, for they cannot leave their Court to search you out."

"If The Disir wanted to see, if this was truly The Triple Goddess' will, then they would have summoned me!"

"But they can't. Have you not noticed, Morgana, that The Triple Goddess has left you? She left you some time ago while your soul lingered and absorbed vast amounts of dark magic. Before then she still had hope that you would return to the path of light and so she would not lose the last High Priestess of her order, but you have gone too far, she has lost faith in you and has abandoned you. The Disir cannot reach those whom The Triple Goddess has left, so they send me to carry out her will."

"No." Morgana denied. "The Triple Goddess would never abandon me. Everything I do is for her! All I do is to bring the Old Religion back to Britain where Uther destroyed it and Arthur did nothing to return it! The Triple Goddess would never leave one so devoted to her!"

"All you do is for you, Morgana, not for The Triple Goddess, the Old Religion, nor for anyone else!" Merlin snapped back. "Arthur may not have returned the Old Religion to Camelot and Britain by forcing it on people as the one and only acceptable religion, but he welcomed it with open arms. Those who wished to practice the Old Religion, or the New Religion, were welcome to do so as they chose. This was enough for The Triple Goddess, to allow people to worship as they chose. Regardless of whether her wrath is known to be harsh against those who cross her, she dwells within light magic and would not force those who did not believe in her to worship her. She is not a vain goddess that all must bow before her."

"Even so-"

"Enough!" Merlin was done talking. Calling on his magic he began to chant the spell The Disir had taught him. A light began to envelope Morgana, who found herself unable to move. As the power grew around her, Morgana began to feel a drain on her magic. It lasted for several moments before a small ball of light left Morgana, surrounded by Merlin's spell, which shrunk it down until it disappeared completely. Morgana felt as if a part of her was gone. She could no longer feel the magic that belonged to the High Priestesses, nor her connection to The Triple Goddess, though she was loath to admit that Merlin had been right and that particular connection had not worked properly in some time. The biggest blow, however, was the fact that The Triple Goddess had abandoned her. She did not believe Merlin capable of such a feat without The Disir's help, and so it must be the will of The Triple Goddess that she no longer be a High Priestess. Merlin was speaking to her again, though she barely registered his words, hearing enough though to understand what he was trying to say: he was sorry this had happened, and if she wanted to redeem herself in the eyes of The Triple Goddess she should abandon her current course and seek out The Disir to atone for what she had done, if it was even possible. His words brought Morgana's rage out full force once more. While she acknowledged that The Triple Goddess had left her, she refused to believe it was her fault. Merlin must have done something. He must have tricked The Disir in some way. It was all his fault.

"Emrys!" She roared at his retreating back. Merlin, Arthur, and the Knights that remained, who had been quite content to be spectators for once, turned around when they heard her scream and Merlin quickly threw up a shield to protect them from the onslaught of raw magic that assaulted them. Much like when Merlin's magic had released itself the day Camelot fell when his emotions overcame him, so too did Morgana's; though unlike when his magic was released, Morgana's could be stopped. However, while he had protected himself and his friends, Merlin's shield did nothing to protect the ruins of the Saxon castle, and Morgana's magic had hit it hard.

"Merlin lets move!" Arthur cried as he and his Knights began running for the exit as the castle began to crumble around them. They left Morgana kneeling on the floor where she had been since Merlin knocked her back the second time, but none held out any real hope that she wouldn't escape. Seeing the exit ahead of them blocked, Merlin's eyes flashed gold as he transported them outside to where the other Knights and their families had escaped to.

"Everyone alright?" Leon asked as he rushed over, seeing them appear while the castle collapsed behind them.

"We're fine." His fellow First Knight assured him.

"Merlin dealt Morgana a terrible blow though." Lancelot said.

"We suspected as much. We heard her shriek from here."

"I don't think it's over though." Tristan called, pointing behind them. They turned to see that the former Saxon stronghold was fully destroyed now, what remained of the two thousand year old castle having taken but a minute or two to collapse, and Morgana stood atop the ruins, her black hair billowing in the wind as she stared at them with pure loathing. Arthur pulled Excalibur from its sheath, preparing for battle, though Merlin stepped in front of them all, not expecting a physical attack, but a magical one. He turned out to be right. The magical attack that came their way was more powerful then the raw magic that had escaped her a few minutes before, but it was still no match Merlin; he'd had enough. Coming to face Morgana today he'd intended on carrying out The Disir's will, and taking her down a couple of pegs with the hope that if he hit her hard she wouldn't target their family again. He brushed Morgana's magic aside with little effort, glad that in her anger she was not attacking at full strength. He followed that with several volleys of magic of his own, causing her to go on the defense, though one of his volleys hit her dead on. It knocked her to the ground and Merlin was prepared to end it there if he had to.

"Stay down, Morgana, I beg of you." He called to her. "Let us leave and you will live to fight another day."

"No!" She screamed and her eyes flashed gold once more. A screech of some creature was heard and Arthur and the Knights surrounded the women and children, preparing to defend them, as they looked around for the threat.

"What was that?" Gwaine asked. His response came from Merlin who began to laugh, apparently knowing what it was.

"A Wyvern?" He asked condescendingly. "Really, Morgana? Of all the magical creatures you could summon you choose a _Wyvern_ with a Dragonlord present?" The screech was heard again and Merlin turned in its direction as the beast appeared.

" _Nun de dei gai! Sekaien kai emos epes es hepetai!"_ He commanded the Wyvern who stopped in mid air. Then, turning his sights on Morgana he continued. " _Zendende akoule nun epello…"_ The Wyvern flew towards Morgana to attack at The Dragonlord's command, forcing Morgana to escape, though she did not do so without one last threat.

"This is not over! I will return, and you _will_ perish! All of you!" She disappeared before the Wyvern could reach her and Merlin sent it off back to where it had come from.

"She's gone." Galahad spoke the obvious. "Why did we let her escape? We had her on the run!"

"Morgana was weak having her High Priestesshood taken from her, and her anger made her sloppy in her attacks. She never would have summoned a _Wyvern_ of all things with me here had she been thinking clearly." Merlin explained. "But even so had we pushed the issue she would have cleared her mind to destroy us as we tried to destroy her and I am not strong enough right now to battle her properly. The Disir's spell took a lot out of me." Although they were not happy that Morgana would live to try and destroy them once more, they could not fault Merlin's logic; they knew they needed him to defeat her and if he said he was not strong enough at that time, then they didn't stand a chance. The men then took a moment to say hello to their family membersthat had been rescued, glad to have them back once more. Allowing his men this moment, Arthur walked away from the group, a look of deep concentration on his face, one that did not go unnoticed.

"What is it?" Merlin asked as he came up beside Arthur, some distance from the others.

"I'm not sure." The King admitted. "It's just…what Morgana said, about an assault not being necessary…they were the exact same words Morgause spoke the day Morgana betrayed us."

"You remember exact words that were said two thousand years ago?" The warlock was genuinely curious.

"I remember everything about that day. Every detail. It was the day my world nearly fell apart. Were it not for you and Guinevere, I do not think I would have survived my sister's betrayal."

"You're stronger than you think, Arthur. Being High King is not just having a title. You truly embody the High King of prophecy."

"Perhaps." Arthur muttered. "But that is not the point here."

"And the point is that Morgana seemed to…what? Channel Morgause?"

"I don't know, Merlin." He ground out. "It just caught my attention alright? Her words, the flick of her hand when she used her magic to disarm the men, her mannerism…it is exactly as I remember of Morgause from that day."

"Morgause was her sister. And they spent a great deal of time together. No doubt she picked up some of Morgause's mannerisms." Merlin reasoned.

"You're probably right."

"But you don't think I am."

"I have been trained since birth as a knight to command Camelot's army. A part of that means recognizing abnormalities, and following my instinct."

"And…?" Merlin prompted when Arthur paused too long.

"And the fact that Morgana's words and actions were _exactly_ the same as Morgause's strikes me as odd, and my instinct is telling me something is off here. I just don't know what." Merlin studied Arthur for a moment, seeing that he was really shaken by this.

"Well your instinct has never led us wrong before." He said finally. "If you think something is off, then something is off and we'll keep an eye on it and figure it out." Merlin clasped Arthur on the shoulder, offering him a reassuring smile.

"Thank you, Merlin. For believing me."

"You may be a dollop head but you're a dollop head who's brilliant with strategy and has yet to lead us wrong in this war." Merlin could not help but add in the insult. "You're also my friend and I know when you're being serious and what this means to you."

"To both of us." Arthur returned the comforting gesture and clasped a hand on Merlin's shoulder. "Morgana was a friend and sister to us both." The two then returned to the others, finding them waiting patiently.

"I know that spell took a lot out of you, Merlin. But are you strong enough to take all of us home?" Arthur asked.

"Now that I can do." With a flash of his eyes, Merlin transported them back to Camelot. Everyone was still in the presence chamber when they arrived and greetings were said all around as more members of their extended family were returned home. Leon and Elena reclaimed their daughter and sat happily together, simply glad to have their family whole. Now that the danger was passed, Dagonet and Tristan were able to have proper hellos with their wives and children while Bors was quick to swoop in and carry Roy to his mother and siblings, who welcomed their brother back.

"I am glad you have all returned safely." Gwen said, coming to stand by Arthur's side and wrapping her arms around him, holding him close. Their moment was interrupted, however, when a small hand tugged at Gwen's skirts.

"Hello Roy." Gwen said and bent to his level, giving the boy that had been her son's best friend and companion a hug. "I'm so happy to see you again."

"You as well, My Lady." He replied with a toothy grin. "And you, Sire." He said to The King.

"We are thrilled to have you safely returned to your family, and to us, Roy." Arthur said as he too bent down. "Now, what can we do for you?" Having known Roy since he was only a few months old Arthur knew that there was more to this visit then just saying hello, especially given Vanora was standing but a few steps back, having tried to stop her youngest son from interrupting the monarchs; Roy would have listened to his mother if he did not have a pressing question or concern.

"I wanted to know where William–I mean The Prince is." He said quite innocently, he could not know that Arthur and Gwen had yet to find their own children, though all the others had returned. The two shared a look, wondering how to explain this to the young boy who clearly just wanted to see his friend. Vanora, seeing their unease, stepped in.

"Come now, Roy. Don't bother Their Majesties with such questions."

"No, Vanora, it's all right." Gwen said with a small smile before taking Roy's hands and looking him in the eyes.

"William…William is not here, Roy."

"Well where is he? Can I see him? It is my duty to stay by his side, after all, I am his companion."

"And we are both happy and thankful that you take your duty so seriously." She replied. "However, William isn't just not here in this room. We don't actually know where he is. Or Eleanor."

"What do you mean?"

"What The Queen means, Roy, is that we haven't found them _yet_." Arthur said. While Gwen remained strong for him in the face of Morgana, he knew that he needed to remain strong for her regarding their children. They would find them. He had to believe that, and more importantly he had to convince her of that. "Just like it took some time for you to get your memories back and be reunited with your father, William and Eleanor haven't got their memories back and so we haven't been able to reunite with them yet."

"But you will, won't you? You'll find them and they'll get their memories back?" Gwen, ever the practical one, started to say that they might not, not wanting to get Roy's hopes up for nothing, but Arthur cut across her.

"Of course we will, Roy. Have no doubt that very soon William and Eleanor will be with us once more."

* * *

 **A/N - Uh oh, Arthur's making promises he may not be able to keep...**

 **There will be more into what happened to Morgana in those two thousand years to come, but not for a few chapters. For now you have to deal with that brief explanation of what happened. Also yes, her High Priestesshood was taken from her on the command of The Triple Goddess. Don't know if that's actually possible in canon, but it is here so long as its the will of The Triple Goddess. It can't just be taken by anyone or without her say so.**


	21. The Legend

_Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin._

* * *

 **Chapter 21 – The Legend**

* * *

With The King's assurance that his friend, and The Princess, would be found, Roy was content to re-join his family. Gwen looked to Arthur most unimpressed that he had quite possibly lied to the little boy, but Arthur was unrepentant; he was convinced that they would find their children. Once everyone had had a chance to spend a bit of time with their families, Arthur called them over and they began to plan. Knowing they had dealt Morgana a blow that would take some time for her to recover from, they believed that they had bought themselves enough time to plan for her next attack, get their families settled with their memories returned, and with any luck also finish the semester, for those still in school. They naturally decided that the safest place was Camelot, and given that Morgana had already proven that she was not adverse to using their loved ones against them, the Knights' wives and children, along with Hunith and Gaius, would move into the castle immediately. None of them were terribly concerned with their jobs, knowing that having a crazy witch who'd been trying to destroy you for two thousand years after you once again was as good a reason as you could get to take a leave of absence. Merlin also assured them that anything they needed he could either use his magic to create, or he did have a rather vast fortune at his disposal; living for so many centuries meant you tended to accumulate a lot of money. There was also the royal treasury which stood untouched for all these years and not one person doubted that selling even just a few coins would see any money woes they had disappear; rare coins could be quite priceless and you didn't get much rarer than two thousand year old coins owned by the legendary, and previously mythical, King Arthur.

The children's schooling proved to be the greatest problem in case Morgana attacked while they were there and unprotected. With the varying ages of the children, and not all living in the same town or city, there were more than a few schools between them meaning the obvious answer of having Merlin use his magic to protect the school was not an option, or so they thought. Merlin assured them that he could protect the five or six buildings the children were in and would even transport them to and from school himself so they were not spending a great deal of time in the open while travelling.

"You can do that?" Arthur asked. "You couldn't before. When you decided to protect every village against Morgana and Morgause's illusions you needed the help of other sorcerers to do so. "

"Yes, but I hadn't fully come into my power back then. I assure you I am more than powerful enough to protect five or six schools." While his response allowed them to breathe easier it reminded them all just how reliant they were on Merlin and his magic. They couldn't fight Morgana without it, nor protect their families from her; they were essentially powerless without Merlin. Back in their time they had undeniably relied on him, but they were not all but powerless. Morgana had Saxons at her command, magicless Saxons, and so there was a large part of the war that they could fight on their own. There was many an occasion when Morgana would send her disciples on a mission where no magic at all was used and so Merlin did not need to be called in. Now, however, Morgana was using her magic at every turn and there was little they could do without Merlin. The warlock didn't seem to mind though, he seemed quite happy actually, and Mithian quietly assured them that Merlin had confessed that he had not been this happy since their deaths nearly two millennia ago. And so they trusted that Merlin did not in any way resent their use of him, and that what was asked of him was not too draining on him or his powers. He had never before kept quiet if he was upset or thought they, though predominantly Arthur, was using him or treating him unfairly and so they trusted that if anything was amiss they'd hear about it. With the children's schooling figured out came The King, Queen, and Knights' own schooling of which there were a few weeks left. They were prepared, of course, to forego the rest of the semester if Morgana forced their hand, but with exams just around the corner they would ideally be able to finish them. Vanora, Elena, Alaria, and Mary insisted that they at least try, and that with all the studying they were to do that it would not be conductive to live in an environment with rambunctious children. The Knights protested, not wanting to leave their families, but were told that they would still get to see them several times a week, they just wouldn't be officially living with them as they needed to focus on their studies. The Knights caved to their wives wishes; they had gone this long without seeing them at all, they could go a few more weeks with added visits.

With the plans in place everyone prepared to disperse but their exit was cut off when they heard footsteps outside the doors. The Knights and Arthur sprang into action, unsheathing their swords and preparing for battle.

"I thought you said the castle was protected and none could enter here?"

"I did." Merlin answered. "Though with a few exceptions."

"Such as?" Percival asked as he and the others lowered their swords a bit; Merlin did not appear concerned, so they had less reason to worry.

"Your families, for one." He said as the doors began to open. "And Camelot's citizens for another." He finished not a moment before a strangled cry left The Queen and she rushed into the newcomer's arms.

"Nan!" She cried, hugging her old nursemaid tightly.

"Oh, lovey!" The old woman murmured in return. The two held onto each other for awhile before Gwen led her over to where the others were gathered. Everyone greeted her fondly, and she them, before Arthur himself led her to a chair so she may rest.

"There's more, Sire." She said once seated, pointing to the door. They all turned to see several heads poking around the corner, all of them recognizable.

"George?!" Arthur gasped, seeing his former manservant.

"Audrey, Sefa." Gwen murmured at the sight of the castle's Head Cook and her own maid.

"My King, My Queen." They greeted humbly, offering a quick bow. Five more followed behind them, one of the kitchen maids, two guards and two pages.

"But…how…?" Arthur asked Merlin once they'd all been greeted properly. Merlin had told them that their bodies and that of their families had been buried on the Isle of the Blessed, Merlin knowing that they all would be needed to form the new Golden Age, but the other inhabitants of Camelot had not. The rampant, ancient, magic on the Isle of the Blessed did not touch them, so Merlin assumed that only those the ancient magic touched would be reborn.

"It appears I was wrong." He said, looking just was confused as everyone else. "I thought only you lot would be reborn, but…" He shrugged having no explanation for this occurrence.

"Well…we are most pleased to see you all." Gwen assured them.

"And we you, My Lady." Sefa smiled at her mistress.

"We have come to re-enter your service, Sire." George spoke in the proper, somewhat haughty, tone of voice of his that they knew so well.

"Oh." Arthur muttered, not sure what he had expected when they all appeared. "That is not necessary, George, really. We all have present day lives, as we're sure you do, and The Queen and I don't even live here just yet. Anyways, we spend most of our time in the modern world, where things are much simpler." He tried to politely explain that they did not need a manservant or maid.

"If you do not want us here, Sire, we will of course vacate the premises." Said George, his stoic expression never wavering.

"That's not what I meant." Arthur quickly backpedalled.

"Excellent. Then Sefa and I shall move into our old quarters and ensure that everything is ready for Your Majesties when you do return home." Both George and Sefa left before either Gwen or Arthur could say another word.

"Aye, me as well." Audrey spoke up next. "I noticed the… _take away_ containers in the bin." She said as if it were an offensive term. "Clearly you are not eating properly without me here, but I'll fix that right quick. So long as _someone_ hasn't destroyed my kitchen." Her eyes narrowed on Merlin, who in his youth was often a source of irritation for the Cook as he snuck food every chance he got; that most of it was for Arthur was conveniently forgotten as she chased him out with a spoon.

"I swear I haven't touched your kitchen in two thousand years." Merlin held his hands up in surrender. "But if you wish I can update it for you. I can't give you electricity, but running water I can do, as well as a proper oven and the like." She looked suspiciously at him before nodding, knowing how hard cooking was back then, and that it'd be near impossible with only one assistant. Merlin muttered some words and his eyes flashed gold and the castle groaned again, just as it had when they first arrived and he added indoor plumbing. When it was over, Audrey nodded her thanks, barking for the kitchen maid to follow her before leading the way towards her domain. "I've also updated everyone's quarters since they're all staying." Merlin told those who remained.

"But why are they staying?" Arthur almost grumbled. "There's little to nothing for them to do here. Don't they also have lives in the present?"

"If I may, Sire." Nan spoke up.

"Of course, Nan."

"Given you've been reborn as well I'm certain you know how disconcerting it can be to have two people inside your head." They all nodded empathetically; having two people in your head was confusing at best, and downright maddening at worst. "They're doing the best they can with their past selves fighting for control, and I'm sure they'll be more inclined to return to their modern lives once things calm down some and your destinies are fulfilled."

"And you?" Gwen asked. Nan scoffed and waved her hand dismissively.

"I'm an old woman no matter which life I'm living. I could sit in the retirement home I've been in with no visitors, or I can be here with all of you." The look she gave Gwen made it clear that she included William and Eleanor in that group and was wondering where they were, but wisely did not mention it. Gwen smiled softly and patted her hand and Nan knew her charge would explain once they were alone. Things were seemingly sorted but the clearing of a throat reminded them that the two guards still remained.

"Oh, we do apologize." Gwen said, turning her attention to them. "Our minds are just completely scattered right now."

"Please do not apologize, My Queen." One of them said.

"And you two? You're staying as well?"

"Aye, Sire. If you'll have us."

"I don't know." Arthur said with amusement. "What say you, Sir Leon, Sir Percival? As First Knights of Camelot, captaining the guard falls under your dominion."

"Well, Peter and John were two of the best." Leon said, not even bothering to hide his smile.

"Had the makings of fine knights they did, if only they weren't so adamant that they did not want to face the trials." Percival added.

"Stop teasing them." Gwen instructed. "John, Peter, we welcome your service, as always."

"Thank you, My Lady." Peter said with a small bow. "And as our first act under our new command…" He trailed off as both he and John left the room for a moment and returned with a man none of them had ever seen being marched between them.

"It is not necessary to manhandle me." The man snapped, both his arms being held by one of the guards.

"We caught him just outside the city gates." John reported. "And not with the few hundred other people camped out on the hill, but literally just outside the gates."

"Another one of your exceptions?" Arthur asked his Court Mage.

"Yes." He answered simply. "We knew she'd be in contact. Didn't want to make it terribly difficult for her."

"Release him." Arthur commanded. "Queen Elizabeth sends one of her Yeomen of the Guards as messenger?" His amusement was apparent for normally they served a ceremonial position as the monarch's bodyguard and it was undeniable that the man before them was one of them, or at least he was dressed in the red and gold uniform of one of the Yeomen of the Guard, bearing the badge of Queen Elizabeth II stitched across the front.

"Y-yes." He said. "The Queen was unsure how to approach this matter. She thought it best that she send someone easily recognizable and a bit-" He cut off, seemingly unsure if he should continue.

"A bit more medieval?" Arthur finished for him, still clearly amused. The man cleared his throat uncomfortably and nodded. "Well, since the Yeomen of the Guard were formed in the late 1400s, you're a bit off – by more than several centuries actually – and-"

"Enough, Arthur." Gwen growled. "Elizabeth was no doubt only trying to make us feel more at ease. It is not as if this is a common occurrence and she sends messengers to reincarnated British monarchs every day."

"You are right, of course, sweetheart." He said wisely. "You have my apologies, sir. I spoke only in jest, I assure you. What is your name?"

"Michael, sir."

"Michael. Please, continue."

"Thank you." He said, gaining some confidence as the woman that was clearly Queen Guinevere put him at ease. He pulled out an official looking paper out of the satchel he carried. "On behalf of-"

"Hold." Arthur interrupted. Michael looked up, wondering how those three words could warrant an interruption. "This is to be a formal audience then? Not just Queen Elizabeth sending a private message?" Michael nodded slowly, as he processed what Arthur said and finding nothing wrong with it. "Then if you will indulge our ancient customs." He said as he took Guinevere's hand and led her to their thrones at the back of the chamber, both glad at least that they were in the presence chamber and not the throne room with the ornate gold chairs. The two took their seats as Merlin, Mithian, and the Knights fell into their usual places as council members and the others sat or stood at the back. "Come." Arthur called and Michael made his way to the centre of the room. "A formal audience usually includes more pomp and circumstance, and dress." He added, he and his Knights were still in their armour while Gwen wore a simple day dress. "But as the castle is far from fully staffed, do forgive our manner of receiving you. Normally you would be treated with much more courtesy and ceremony as befitting the emissary of another monarch." Michael nodded in understanding, assuring them that it was alright. "Now I promise not to interrupt again." He motioned towards Michael as a sign for him to continue.

"On behalf of Her Majesty, Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, I hereby offer greetings and salutations. Her Majesty hopes that all is well with Your Majesties and she asks if you would consent to an audience with her and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace, in central London." The room was silent for a few moments, as if they waited for him to say more.

"Is that all?" Gwen finally asked.

"Yes." Came the reply. The two ancient monarchs shared a look, but did not voice their thoughts.

"When does Queen Elizabeth propose this meeting take place?" Arthur asked instead.

"At your earliest convenience."

"Will tomorrow do? It is a Saturday. No classes." He added for his friends.

"I shall ask." Michael said, sounding happier than he had during this entire visit. He pulled out his phone. "Er…I just need to leave for a moment to find service…"

"You'll find there's cell service in the castle." Merlin said. "You can make your call in the far corner, or the corridor if you wish more privacy." Michael nodded and left the room.

"It took about as long to read out her list of titles and styles then it did to deliver the actual message." Tristan observed.

"Hmm." Arthur hummed in agreement. "I've no doubt Elizabeth meant for a more private message then a formal audience. The shortness of the message and request for an audience instead of commanding it says as much."

"Her councillors probably got a hold of the messenger and told him to say them, to remind us that it is her, and not us, who is the current and rightful monarch." Gwen added. "You'll notice there was no such embellishments to the actual message. He probably refused to change or add to the message itself but agreed to list her titles and styles beforehand."

"This is one of the main things I was concerned of." Arthur sighed. "We are not here to overthrow Queen Elizabeth, but few will see it that way."

"Especially as you are still High King and Queen of Britain." Leon insisted. "You cannot just drop your titles because it is making some councillors nervous. You may not wish to supplant Queen Elizabeth as the reigning monarch, but you _are_ monarchs yourselves, and they should not be allowed to forget it." Nothing more was said as Michael walked back into the room.

"Tomorrow afternoon works well for Her Majesty, if that is acceptable."

"We are agreed then." Arthur stood from his throne and looked down on the emissary, allowing himself to appear as kingly as possible in his armour and without his crown. "You may inform Her Majesty, Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, etc., etc., that I, Arthur Pendragon, by the Grace of God, King of Camelot, High King of a united Britain and Duke of Lyanesse, do hereby accept her request for an audience on behalf of myself, Queen Guinevere and our court. We will travel to Buckingham Palace tomorrow, arriving after the lunch hour." Michael nodded, put less at ease by the way Arthur stared him down and the formality with which he spoke.

"Her Majesty has offered to send cars to get you."

"That won't be necessary. Merlin will transport us." Michael's eyes shifted to the man who legend said was a very powerful sorcerer, and was met with a smile that did not quite reach his eyes.

"Wonderful. Her Majesty looks forward to receiving you."

"And we her. John and Peter will show you out." He answered in dismissal. The two guards came forwards and this time courteously asked the man to follow them. One led the way while the other followed behind Michael who turned for one last look at the legendary king.

"Well played, Sire." Percival murmured, badly hiding a smile.

"Let him report to the councillors, and Queen, what he will of this meeting. As Sir Leon said, we are just as royal as she and we will not allow them to forget it." He then took his eyes off the closed door and addressed those present. "Merlin, Mithian, Leon and Percival I want you there with us. The rest of you may choose to come or spend the time with your families. Apologies Leon." He added knowing the First Knight wanted to spend time with his wife and child, but also needing him there.

"It is quite alright, Sire. I'll have the night and morning with them."

"I think we're all coming." Bors said. "A few hours in the afternoon won't kill us. They'll be safe here."

"Now that she's sent her messenger I'll remove that exception from the wards. No need to let anyone else approach without our permission." Merlin added.

"Good. Now tomorrow, we follow Elizabeth's lead. We will be as formal or informal as she wants, but we will not let her councillors set the tone of our meeting unless she does. If I am right, things will be quite pleasant."

 **oo00oo00oo**

At 1 o'clock the next afternoon Merlin flashed himself to the gates of Buckingham Palace to warn of their arrival. He had been right that the palace staff were not sure how they would arrive and so had had someone stationed at the gates looking out for them. With the warning given he returned to Camelot before flashing both himself, his wife, Arthur, Gwen and the Knights of the Round Table directly into the inner courtyard at the bottom of the palace steps, in exactly the same location that a car would have dropped them off. There were several people there to greet them who watched in awe as they appeared before their eyes, as well as at the splendour before them. They had decided to start things off formal and so every single one of them were decked out as befitting their stations, The King and Queen wearing their ornate crowns. Arthur and Gwen offered their hands to shake when it appeared that none knew how to greet them; with bowing being the proper form of greeting in the past and with it being entirely optional today, it could get quite confusing and as there was no precedent for past kings and queens coming back to life, they decided to set their own. They were led into the palace and walked for a few minutes before reaching a closed door where they paused for a moment. It looked like the man who had led them here wished to say something, most likely to instruct them on how to properly greet and address The Queen, but thought better of it. He knocked twice before opening the door and standing aside to admit them. Both Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh stood waiting for them and it was only their own royal upbringing that allowed them to notice the slight widening of the eyes when the two modern royals laid eyes on their party; it appeared that having a neutral public face was something that had not changed in two thousand years.

"That will be all, Meyers, thank you." The Queen said, addressing the man who had led them there.

"But, Your Majesty-" A look was all it took to silence him and the man bowed his head with a "yes, ma'am" before exiting and shutting the door behind him.

"My Lady." Arthur greeted once they were alone, taking her offered hand, though bringing it to his lips instead of shaking it. "It is an honour to meet you both. I am King Arthur Pendragon. This is my wife, Queen Guinevere." Gwen smiled and offered a deep nod to Elizabeth along with a handshake before doing the same for the Duke of Edinburgh, her smile brightening a bit when Prince Philip followed Arthur's example and kissed the back of her hand. "This is my Court Mage, Merlin, his wife Lady Mithian, the former Princess of Nemeth, the First Knights of Britain, Sir Percival and Sir Leon, along with the other Knights of the Round Table, Sir Bors, Sir Gwaine, Sir Dagonet, Sir Galahad, Sir Tristan, and Sir Lancelot." The others greeted Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip as well before they were offered a seat.

"I apologize that seating is quite scattered." The Queen said, indicating the various chairs around the room. "Please move them where you like, and I shall call for more chairs."

"Please do not trouble yourself, Your Majesty." Leon said. "We are quite content to stand, and would prefer it in fact." The other Knights had taken up stations around the room with him and Percival standing behind the couch that Arthur and Gwen sat on, Merlin insisting Mithian take the chair next to it before taking a position next to his wife.

"You seem on high alert." Elizabeth remarked.

"Always, Your Grace." Percival answered with a smile.

"They are just being cautious. We have had a few run ins with the witch Morgana, who has been intent on destroying us for two thousand years." Gwen explained.

"I see."

"But enough about Morgana, for now at any rate." Arthur said. "I assume you asked us for an audience to gain some assurances that we are not here to re-take the throne."

"Not at all." She replied. "I never thought that was your intent for it would serve no purpose. Britain is a constitutional monarchy, My Lord. The sovereign possesses very little real power and serves an almost entirely ceremonial position. As such, attempting to overthrow me and take the throne for yourself would gain you nothing. Unless, of course, your Court Mage's power is such that he can bend people to his will and reinstate an absolute monarchy."

"I could." Merlin admitted now that the attention had been turned to him. "I am the most powerful sorcerer to ever exist after all. However, I have no desire nor intent to do so, Your Majesty."

"And what _is_ your desire or intent?"

"The same as it has been for two thousand years. The same desire and intent as Arthur's: to see a new Golden Age, an era of unparalleled peace, be brought to Britain."

"And how do you intend to achieve that?" Prince Philip asked.

"We are not sure." Arthur answered. "We've no doubt that Morgana appearing in this time is why we have risen again. She will not hesitate to destroy and kill to gain her end of becoming High Queen of Britain. But how she will go about it in this time, with magic all but gone from the land, and how we in turn can stop her, we are unsure." Neither The Queen nor Prince Philip spoke for a moment, taking in that bit of information.

"You said risen again as if you expected it." Elizabeth said finally. "You are unsurprised that you are here in this day and age?"

"The specific day and age matters not." Gwen said. "But we did know that there was a very good chance we could rise again, yes."

"How? Why?" Philip asked the follow up questions. The two monarchs looked to Merlin to explain the prophecies.

"The ancient prophecies of the Old Religion, the religion of magic that existed in our time, speak of The Once and Future King who would bring a peace to Britain like never before seen. It was said he would be the cause of a peace so absolute that he would rise once more when Britain was in the greatest need and bring about that peace again." He explained. "Prophecies can change. We learned during our lifetime in the past that while the prophecies speak of The Once and Future King, The Once and Future _Queen_ would stand by his side and only together would the peace Britain needed come about. Arthur and Guinevere are The Once and Future King and Queen, so we knew that if the prophecies were true, and we believed they were, then they would rise again. We just didn't know when."

"That is quite something." Elizabeth murmured. "And this, sir, is why I asked you here." She addressed Arthur. "Until not long ago you were legendary figures, often associated with mythology. I wanted to know why and how you were here, and I admit to not a small degree of curiosity about the truth behind the legend. I did not think you were trying to steal my throne." Arthur looked a bit sheepish and Gwen shot him a small smirk for having shot his mouth off.

"My apologies, My Lady, I meant no offense. But after your messenger's not so subtle reminder that you are Queen of Britain in this day and age can you blame me?"

"No. And he should not have reminded you so. I assure you that was not my intention."

"Regardless, it does bring up the topic of having two British sovereigns in one time and place. Something you are, no doubt, wanting answers to." Arthur surmised and she did not deny it. "We have not kept up with the media or what people are saying about us, but we are certain that that exact question has been asked by others, and that a common answer is that I _was_ a British sovereign, but am not in this day and age. We wanted to assure you, and your government, that we agree with them."

"You do? You have no desire to try and retain your title or power as king that medieval monarchs had?" Philip asked.

"Let me be clear, I agree that I am not the sovereign king of Britain in this day and age. Not that I am not a king."

"And you believe that you can have it both ways?" Was the next question.

"Yes. I was born the Prince of Camelot, I was initially invested as King of Camelot and upon pulling the sword from the stone I became The High King of a united Britain. I am also The Once and _Future_ King, my royalty cannot be denied and I have no intention of relinquishing my crown. But that does not mean that I wish to take your place. This has never happened before, there is neither protocol nor precedent for a dead king coming back to life, so we must forge our own way. Upon my Queen and I fulfilling our destinies and bringing peace to Britain we will retire to our present day lives. Possibly we may attend the odd royal function at your behest, if you deem it appropriate, and if we so wish it, but we will otherwise remain private citizens. However, regardless of whether we are private citizens or not, we will always be The King and Queen of Camelot, and High King and Queen of Britain."

"If I may intervene." Mithian spoke up when they did not seem to fully understand. "Britain, in our time, was divided into nine kingdoms. One of which was my own kingdom. My father was King Rodor of Nemeth and I was his heir. However, when Arthur ascended as High King he united all nine kingdoms into one, making the other monarchs essentially obsolete. Instead of forcing them to relinquish their titles, Arthur allowed them to retain them, though it was understood that they were kings and queens in name only. I believe what Arthur speaks of is similar. He will remain King in title, but he will not be ruling over Britain in any capacity."

"Princess Mithian is correct." He said. "Should everything go as planned I will not be ruling over anything or anyone."

" 'Should everything go as planned?' "

"Morgana is quite powerful and is the unknown variable in all this. No matter my intentions I cannot guarantee what will happen." He felt compelled to say.

"Well, we shall cross that bridge when we come to it." Elizabeth said.

"Perhaps now you would be willing to tell your story? You mentioned the sword in the stone. It is real? Excalibur is real?" Philip looked quite excited at finding out the truth of the Arthurian legends, and his wife too appeared far from disinterested. In answer, Arthur stood and unsheathed his sword, the usual shimmer of light appearing as Excalibur came to life.

"Oh yes. It is real." They spent the next few hours telling their story and explaining the various parts of the Arthurian legends as they came to them. They told them of their lives, how he and Gwen met and that they were married when she was only five, though left out the more personal bits such as Uther's insistence, and Arthur's refusal, that they consummate their marriage when Guinevere was but eleven; regardless of how impactful such things were for them, they were unimportant to this tale. They told them of Arthur, and then Guinevere, discovering Merlin's magic and how it was banned in Camelot. They spoke of Morgana's betrayal and the never ending war as well, giving a great deal of background information as they went. Somewhere in the middle of telling Britain's current Queen and her husband about the Dorocha, Merlin excused himself from the room. He returned nearly an hour later when they were speaking of their final days.

"We were holding a tournament to celebrate our five years of peace. Afterwards…" Arthur hesitated; this was not a subject any of them enjoyed. "I caught Guinevere and Lancelot together. Or at least thought I had. We are unsure whether or not this is where Chrétien de Troyes got his idea for their affair in his book, though we don't know how he could have known, there was no time for word of it to have spread throughout the castle, let alone the entire kingdom."

"Arthur." Merlin tried to interrupt.

"Not now Merlin." He said. "In my anger I put Guinevere under house arrest and banished Lancelot. Thankfully though my men knew me too well and told him not to go far for he'd be returning shortly. Merlin helped calm me down and it didn't take long to realize that they would never betray me so. It was Morgana, and her illusions once more that made me see what I did."

"Arthur." Merlin tried again.

"I said not now, Merlin." He growled. "I was on my way to apologize to Guinevere and beg forgiveness when the alarms sounded. The Saxons were at our gate, and we did not stand a chance…there were too many of them and we were woefully unprepared for such an attack so-"

"Arthur!"

"We all perished. _What_ Merlin?" He snapped, turning finally to face the sorcerer.

"We need to return to Camelot. Now." He said, looking quite urgent.

"Why? What's happened?" Gwen asked, concerned.

"Nothing bad." He assured them, and his bright eyes gave truth to that. "But we have to go. Right now."

"Fine." Arthur grumbled. "My Lady, My Lord, I apologize for our quick departure. Apparently there is some urgent business we must attend to."

"It is quite alright." Elizabeth said, offering her hand again and once more receiving a kiss instead of a handshake, Gwen receiving the same treatment from Prince Philip. "Thank you for indulging us."

"We look forward to our next meeting, we are sure this will not be the last."

"Yes, perhaps next time we can show you around Camelot." Gwen offered.

"That would be lovely."

"One last thing before we go." Arthur said. "Although we are a bit late, or a bit early if going with the official day…a very happy 90th birthday, Your Majesty." He offered a courtly bow and even a wink, which she seemed unsure what to make of.

"Thank you." She said simply, though was still smiling. Arthur backed up to stand next to Merlin who did not even bother leaving the room and simply flashed them back to Camelot.

"Alright, Merlin, what is so important that you had to cut our meeting with Queen Elizabeth short?" The King demanded once they were home.

"I found them." He said with a bright smile, pointing behind his King and Queen. The two turned and froze at who they saw, though the two in question were already in motion.

"Mama! Papa!" Two little voices cried out as they ran towards their parents. Gwen fell to her knees with a strangled cry when they neared and received them both in her open arms, holding them as tightly as she could.

"Oh my darlings!" She cried, pulling away just enough to be able to look at them. "My beautiful, beautiful darlings!" Arthur joined her on the floor, wrapping his own arms around his children with tears coming to his own eyes when they cried "Papa!" and Eleanor wrapped her tiny arms around his neck.

"Missed you." William murmured into his mother's chest.

"As we've missed you." She murmured back. "Both of you. So very much."

"We don't have to go away again do we?" Was his next question.

"Absolutely not. We're together now and we will never have to part again."

"Good."

* * *

 **A/N - I still feel a bit weird about bringing Queen Elizabeth and her family into this simply because for whatever reason I find it weird to write about real people while they're still living, though I'd have no problem writing about Henry VIII, or Queen Victoria for example. Anyways this is where my inspiration led me, I still stand by my previous words of if King Arthur was real and was reincarnated today that there's no way he and Queen Elizabeth wouldn't meet, especially with all the stuff going on in Britain that centres around Arthur. This will not be the last time we'll see Queen Elizabeth or Prince Philip, though they're not about to become main characters or anything. They'll be on about the same level as the other monarchs of Albion. They're there and I'll bring them in when needed, but then they'll go away until I need them again.**


	22. The Past Returns

_Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.  
_

* * *

 **Chapter 22 – The Past Returns**

* * *

The family held each other for a long time, longer even than William and Eleanor wanted for their parents refused to let them go. Eventually though they did, allowing for the Knights who had been with them at Buckingham Palace to greet their Prince and Princess.

"Percy!" Eleanor squealed when she spotted him. Rushing over, she practically jumped into the arms of her favourite playmate, who quite happily received her.

"Hello Princess." He responded, holding her close. He had secretly been afraid that the bond they had formed would no longer be there, but there was apparently nothing to worry about, he was still very much like a beloved uncle. William too greeted Percival happily before the two children said hello to the other Knights and Mithian. William then ran off with Roy, the two huddling in a corner no doubt plotting and planning some mischief while Eleanor climbed into her father's lap and fell asleep, the day's excitement proving too much for the not quite three year old.

"I can't believe they're here." Gwen breathed, running a loving hand over her daughter's hair.

"I told you we would find them." Arthur said.

"But _we_ didn't. It was Merlin." She looked to the warlock, her gratitude written all over her face, though she voiced it anyways. "Thank you, Merlin. We owe you a debt we cannot repay."

"How did you find them?" Arthur wanted to know.

"Well…" Merlin hesitated but decided on the truth. "I actually found them not long after you all awoke."

"What?" Arthur growled. "And you didn't think to tell us?!" Only his sleeping daughter stopped him from yelling at his Court Mage.

"I thought it would be less cruel to say they hadn't been found since they didn't have their memories yet." He explained. "I knew if I told you you'd want me to take you to them and you'd watch them from afar, pining for them far worse because they were there but without their memories they weren't really your children."

"He was trying to spare us more heartbreak." Gwen said softly to her husband. "A part of me too is furious that he didn't immediately tell us, but we cannot fault him for trying to protect us."

"When I found them I cast a spell to alert me when they remembered. That's what I felt while visiting Queen Elizabeth."

"How did that visit go by the way?" Gaius wanted to know.

"Quite well actually." Said Arthur, agreeing with Gwen that he could not fault Merlin his actions and so let the subject drop. "She was more curious about the truth behind the legends than anything else. She seemed to think it'd be pointless to try and overthrow her, what with the monarchy being merely constitutional in this time, so wasn't terribly concerned with that."

"I am not surprised she was curious about the truth. The Arthurian legends are known practically around the world and are almost as old as we are. It is one of the oldest forms of mythology within Europe too, those pre-dating it generally being those in Christianity or surrounding various gods in other religions." Gaius replied, ever the scholar. "It also does not surprise me that she was not concerned that you might attempt to re-take the throne. She is right that to accomplish that properly you would have to find a way to unite the people such that they would re-instate an absolute monarchy, something I don't think any of us see happening."

"Which brings about a good question on how we're going to unite the people to bring about a new Golden Age." Leon spoke up, including all of them regardless that it was technically only Arthur and Gwen's destinies to do so. "We might not be trying to re-instate an absolute monarchy but we must unite the people of Britain in one common cause once more."

"Were you able to speak to Queen Elizabeth regarding that?" Gaius then asked. "Having her help would be invaluable, and arguably integral, given how well loved she is by the people. Whether or not she is their sovereign in the same sense of the word that we are used to, she does still hold a great deal of power and sway over the populace; generally speaking they will follow her lead."

"There wasn't a chance." Gwen answered. "Merlin returned for us before we'd even finished our story. We did invite her to tour Camelot some time soon though, so hopefully we will be able to have that conversation then."

"Merlin?" Arthur called, a look of deep concentration, and even some concern, on his face.

"Yes?"

"Are you able to track Morgana? Or know when she plans to make her next move?" Merlin thought about that for a moment.

"Theoretically. I can detect when a great deal of magic is being used, or if dark magic is gathering in one place. If she plans anything using her magic, which she no doubt will be using, then I should be able to detect it. Why?"

"Only, I'm now concerned about Queen Elizabeth's safety. And that of her family for that matter, especially her heirs."

"Why?"

"Think about it for a moment. If we, or Gaius at least, was able to realize so quickly how much of a sway Elizabeth has over Britain, it would not take much for Morgana to realize it too."

"And either using that influence to her advantage, or getting rid of it entirely, is not far from that realization." Gwen concluded.

"Exactly. Morgana may go after Elizabeth to try and use her influence to further her own cause. Or she could simply kill The Queen and pin it on us, turning a great many Britons against us."

"She is also from our time so regardless of how the government of Britain works now she will be thinking about the current monarch and will probably put more importance on her, and the current royal family, than she will on the Prime Minister." Elena joined in. "While she held us captive she often muttered to herself and one of things we overheard was that she had been trapped for two thousand years. She does not have a modern day counterpart as we do, and so her mind and way of thinking will be as it was two thousand years ago, she will not have had time to acclimatize to how things are in this time."

"Though she is a fast learner." Merlin groaned. "While she may not be able to change her way of thinking over night, putting more importance on royalty than the elected government as Lady Elena said, she will be able to learn all about modern warfare, specifically weapons of mass destruction."

"You think she may try to use modern technology to fight her war this time." Arthur surmised.

"I think there's a very real possibility. Dropping an atomic bomb on Camelot in the hopes of destroying us will do nothing with my wards in place. At least not to us, though it would spread radiation."

"You can neutralize the blast of an _atomic bomb_?!" Lancelot was quite shocked.

"A bomb, regardless of how large, is a physical force. My _magical_ barriers will barely register a physical attack, though admittedly I may have to reinforce the wards after a physical attack that large. Remember, you need magic to fight magic, generally speaking. Magical creatures, for example, are different as they can be killed physically, but only magic can destroy magic such as wards." He explained. "But even if she can't just drop a bomb on Camelot, she _can_ drop them on the rest of Britain. But it is not only bombs that she could have at her disposal if she thinks of it. Technology and weaponry are eons ahead of where they were the last time we fought Morgana. If we thought she was bad then, just imagine what she can do with the advanced technology of the 21st century."

 **oo00oo00oo**

After the whirlwind rescue of their family from Morgana's grasp, their meeting with Queen Elizabeth, and the return of their children, Arthur and Gwen were quite happy that they had some time to themselves and for their own small family. They had gotten reacquainted with their children and spent more time together, Arthur naturally informing Gwen of his feeling that something was off with Morgana. Gwen had responded as expected, taking his feelings seriously but telling him not to read too much into it. A few weeks passed with no catastrophes, for which everyone was quite glad. However, that did not mean that there were no new developments as the inhabitants of Camelot discovered. What had started off as George, Sefa, Audrey, and a few others being reincarnated as well turned into a great many people and Arthur and Gwen soon found their city full, and even their army replenished. Camelot was a buzzing hub of activity once more and every single one of Arthur's past subjects, without exception, swore to stand by him and remain in Camelot until Morgana was defeated once and for all. Arthur and Gwen had no doubt that many took this stance as Morgana and her Saxon army had overrun Camelot with no warning, ending all of their lives regardless of whether or not they fought in the battle and so many wanted vengeance as well as to see such a powerful, dishonourable and dangerous person no longer walk the earth. Nevertheless, both monarchs knew that their people had been happy and at peace when their lives had abruptly been taken from them and that they thanked the High King and Queen for that peace and happiness, and as such their people didn't just remain for vengeance and to see Morgana's end, but also out of love and loyalty to their beloved King Arthur and Queen Guinevere.

Hundreds of people awoke as if from a deep sleep and flocked to Camelot, bringing with them their modern day occupations. The tradesmen, of which there were no shortage, set to work on improving the city and the castle, along with Merlin's help. While none would wish to re-image Camelot into a modern day city, it did not mean that they had to live exactly as they had two thousand years ago. There would be no more leaking roves or inadequate resources, and no more beds filled with straw. Indoor plumbing was added, though electricity still eluded them, the near two dozen of Camelot's people who in this life were electricians deeming it too large a task to undertake right now, though they thought of bringing in a few generators to at least give electricity to certain areas of the castle and city. For the first time in history the city was also actually clean. Medieval towns were not known to be the cleanest what with the continuous presence of large animals, a lack of proper garbage disposal, and the contents of chamber pots often being simply thrown out the window onto the streets. Still, even with these changes Camelot was again a fully functioning medieval city, probably the most authentic in the world, with no gift shop in sight. Naturally this drew a great deal of attention as Britain, and great portions of the world, watched as hundreds of people passed through Merlin's wards as if they weren't there.

Those of the extended family, as they were thought of, who had already moved to Camelot took up their posts once more. Gaius happily using his modern medical knowledge to enhance his craft as Court Physician, while Hunith again took charge as Head Housekeeper, ensuring the castle was in order and the many servants who were once again under her command were taken care of. Vanora and Mary moved their families back into their old homes, having always preferred their cozy warmth over the large drafty castle, though they were still frequent visitors there. The King, Queen, Lady Mithian, and those Knights who were still in school commuted with Merlin's aid most days as well, foregoing their dorms now that their friends, family, and the people of Camelot were there. Arthur and Gwen also did not have the luxury that Tristan, Leon, Dagonet and Bors did with their spouse being able to watch the children while their fathers were in class given that they both were in school. Like many of their friends' children, William and Eleanor had been in foster care too, and just as the others had, Gwen and Arthur moved quickly to officially adopt them so as to stop any legal issues from this time arising. The social worker who was assigned to their children's case would have normally flat out refused to allow a twenty-four and nineteen year old couple who were still in university with no proper job to adopt one child let alone two. However, she had heard tales from her fellow social workers from when Bors and Vanora, as well as Tristan and Mary, whose children were also foster kids in this time, had gone through a very similar process as Arthur and Gwen so she knew what to expect when dealing with these people. It also helped that any objections she may have had were silenced when faced with the legendary King Arthur and Queen Guinevere who claimed that the children in question were their own, simply reincarnated, a fact William and Eleanor corroborated, and that if she tried to refuse Merlin would simply snap his fingers and make the adoption happen anyways.

With the families of their past lives once again whole, the group had to introduce them to their present day families as well. The parents, who were barely used to their children being reincarnations of legendary figures, took the news of grandchildren hard, though in their stride. Regardless of how they felt about everything that was happening, or how confused they might be they loved their children and there was no chance of them losing them; if welcoming grandchildren saw that they got to keep their children close it was something they were willing to do. For the children themselves it was a novelty for many of them to have grandparents. Only Lucan as well as Bors and Vanora's four oldest had known their grandparents in the past, and while Sara might have gotten to know hers when she grew, for both Elena and Leon's parents were still living at the time, Camelot's fall had made that an impossibility. Those same children who had never known grandparents jumped at the idea and eased the way for the new grandparents with their excitement and calling them granny and grandpapa without hesitation. The older children were slower to accept them but they were also old enough to understand about having past lives and that in this time these were their grandparents, so their acceptance came with little fight.

 **oo00oo00oo**

Finally, the last week of the semester came and exams were finally over. Aric and Gina, who like the others went back to their present day selves when outside of Camelot, were finishing up some final business around campus with their children in tow. The youngsters were happily following their parents around, taking in the sights of this new place they'd never been, and revelling in the attention those their mama and papa interacted with gave them; although the Arthurian legends had never mentioned William or Eleanor specifically, there was a great deal of interest in the offspring of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere. Not all of that interest, however, was positive. As the family sat in the cafeteria Gina became aware of eyes on them and knew immediately who it was. Contrary to her wishes, Ben and Pierce and both informed Aric of Amber's verbal attack and the subsequent confrontation that took place the day most of their families were retuned to them. Gina had been able to convince Aric not to confront Amber himself, but that didn't mean that he completely let it drop. Every time Amber was around, which was often when they were on campus as she futilely tried to get him to date her again, Aric took great delight in showing Amber that it was Gina he loved at every opportunity. He'd wrap his arm around her, or kiss her, or offer some other form of affection knowing full well that Amber was watching. When William and Eleanor entered the picture that expanded to include them as he made it clear that not only did he love Gina, but he had children with her as well.

On this particular occasion Aric reached across Gina towards Eleanor, pecking his wife on the lips as he passed, and took his daughter into his arms, settling her in his lap as he watched her eat. Gina, meanwhile, rolled her eyes at him and turned to their son to get him to stop playing with his food, though it was a futile attempt for the moment she was no longer watching over him he blew bubbles in his milk once more.

"I received a letter from Queen Elizabeth the other day." Aric said suddenly.

"Oh? What did she want?"

"To continue our discussion from a few weeks ago that was abruptly interrupted. Though in the best way possible." He added, giving Eleanor a small squeeze and bending to place a kiss atop her head. "She also asked if we were serious about giving them a tour of Camelot and offered to come to us this time."

"Why do I sense that the 'them' she speaks of is not just her and Prince Philip?" Gina asked suspiciously, shooting William a look he knew meant he was on his last warning; while a bit of a rebel and troublemaker the young Prince wasn't stupid, and knew not to cross his mother when she gave him that particular look, so he settled down to eat properly.

"She might have mentioned that Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children, as well as Prince Harry have expressed interest in joining them."

"Those closest to the throne." Gina noted. "I'm certain The Princess Royal, Princes Andrew and Edward and their families have also expressed interest."

"But they are not as high within the order of precedence, so the others get to go first. That, at least, hasn't changed since our time, those highest within the order of precedence taking…well precedence."

"But are not blood royals higher?"

"If the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge were not there I believe then that the Duchesses of Cornwall and Cambridge would move down the ladder, so to speak. But look at how they all enter or exit official functions. The Queen and Prince Philip followed by Charles and Camilla then the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and then Prince Harry before everyone else."

"If you say so." She shrugged. "Can't say I've really paid that much attention to how the royal family enters or exits official functions."

"And yet you are able to list everyone in the order of precedence from our time by name all the way down to our lowliest barons." He teased as he took a napkin and wiped Eleanor's mouth, which had food all over it.

"Yes, but that was in our time, and our own order of precedence, not anyone else's. Why are we discussing this anyways?"

"Good question." Aric admitted. "The point that we got off track of is are we going to offer The Queen and her family a look inside Camelot?" Gina sighed and thought on it for a moment.

"I think it's a good idea. There is great speculation about Camelot, many people wish to visit it. We are _not_ opening our home as a tourist attraction." She insisted with a shudder. "However, if we allow some visitors, the royal family to start with, possibly some others later on, and allow some photographs to be taken it would dispel much of the mystery."

"But would it dispel the interest of tourists?"

"No." Gina tried not to laugh. "Has interest diminished in attractions such as the Tower of London and other historic sites that have been accessible for many years? And those are not sites associated with legends only just proven real. I don't think there's anything we can do that will dispel interest in visiting Camelot."

"Well we could always get Merlin to conceal it again and then wipe everyone's memories that Camelot ever existed. Return it, and us, to nothing but myth."

"And perhaps it may come to that. However, we will not concern ourselves with such trivial matters until Morgana is defeated. Only then will we discuss what to do next with our lives and the fate of Camelot." Aric could not fight that logic and so dropped the issue. With their lunch complete, the two packed their children up and left the cafeteria, passing a not so subtly glaring Amber as they went.

"I wonder if we should be concerned about her." Aric muttered.

"Who papa?" Eleanor asked as she tried to keep up with the others. Aric looked down and smiled, grasping her hand and slowing his pace to accommodate her much shorter legs.

"No one, darling." He said. Eleanor nodded and turned her attention elsewhere. William, who held his mother's hand, had not been paying the least bit of attention to the adults' conversation; lost in his own world of what game he and Roy would play upon their return to Camelot.

"I don't think we have anything to worry about." Gina said quietly once assured that her daughter's attention was firmly elsewhere.

"And why not? Her jealousy is just the kind of thing Morgana could take advantage of."

"Amber does not strike me as the cruel and vindictive type. At least not where people's very lives are concerned. She's merely used to getting her way and doesn't take rejection well. She thinks that just because she's beautiful everything should be handed to her on a silver platter and when things don't go her way she lashes out, will make up rumours and try to put people down and insult them, but she's not about to torture or kill anyone."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that even if Morgana approached her with honeyed words of getting you back she'd quickly see what she's gotten herself into and would try to back out. Now we both know Morgana is unlikely to let her, but that means she'd have to control her with magic, meaning that Amber is no more of a threat than anyone else that Morgana could enchant."

"I'm still keeping an eye on her." Aric insisted, to which Gina merely rolled her eyes.

 **oo00oo00oo**

Aric and Gina were not the only ones enjoying some quality time with their family away from Camelot. Merlin and Mithian had decided to spend the day together as well, though they did not really venture into the modern world, as Mithian soon discovered.

"The forest?" She asked her husband once he'd transported them from the castle. "Are we going on a picnic? You know we could have simply ridden out, you did not have to use your magic if we were not venturing far from Camelot."

"Who says we aren't far from Camelot?" He asked in return as he took her hand and began to lead her through the woods. "Besides, had we ridden out we would have had to either stay within the boundaries of the wards or deal with those who are _still_ camped outside them. Not to mention where we are is about a full days ride from the castle."

"Alright, Merlin, where are we?"

"You'll see soon enough." Mithian grumbled but allowed him to lead the way with no more questions. They walked in silence for nearly ten minutes before Mithian could stand it no longer.

"Had I known we were going for a hike in the woods I would have worn my riding breeches. Or changed into Miranda and her modern clothes." Merlin laughed softly. Although the two could sit or walk in companionable silence, Mithian was not fond of silence outside of the privacy of their chambers. She attributed it to her royal upbringing, having never been left alone save at night once she'd retired, and even then her nurse, or her maid when she got older, was only as far as the adjoining chamber.

"We're almost there, I promise. And you would not want to visit this place as Miranda." He added cryptically. They walked for a few more minutes as the forest began to thin around them, opening into a rather large clearing with the ruins of what was once no doubt a grand fortress. Very little remained of it, however, the building having crumbled and decayed leaving only a fraction of what it had once been. The forest had overtaken it as well, trees growing through windowpanes, ivy and various other plans crawling up the walls or poking through the stones; it was an indication of the structure's great age, for the forest to have reclaimed so much of it.

"Merlin where are we?" Mithian asked again as her heart began to race; this place looked vaguely familiar.

"Where do you think we are?" It was an annoying habit of his, to answer a question with another question, though he only used it with his wife when he was nervous; wherever they were, he was unsure as to her reaction to his surprise. Mithian looked around some more as she took in the ruins, picturing it whole, the forest receding and the fallen stones building up the walls in her mind's eye.

"Are we-?"

"Ah! I thought I heard voices!" Someone called out. The two turned to see an elderly man emerging from around the side of the building. "You two wander off of a renaissance faire?" He joked good-naturedly seeing their attire which was clearly not from this century. "Ah, well, you wouldn't be the first to come here in costume. Some folks like to dress the part when visiting a castle as grand as this. I'm Frank, by the way, Frank Fisher, the historian round these parts. Guess you could say I'm the castle's caretaker too, though not much upkeep being done is there?" He laughed at his own joke. "Would you like a tour? I've got some time, and no charge, this isn't one of those pay for entrance places."

"That would be lovely." Mithian said when Merlin looked her way.

"We don't actually get many visitors round here." He continued to talk as he led them back the way he'd come. "There's not a great deal to see, as you can tell, and it's far off the beaten track. Near thirty minutes on a dirt road off the motorway." They walked around the ruins near to the other side, noticing as they went that there were the remains of other buildings surrounding them, and they walked on what had either been a road or the floor of one of the building for there were stones underneath them, though they were sporadic. "There now." Frank said as they turned one more corner and came to what looked to be what remained of a guardhouse. There was no wooden portcullis, though the gates were still discernable, as was pieces of a bridge that looked to have once crossed a moat. "This was once the stronghold of the rulers in these parts, the capital." Frank explained. He motioned through the gates into the distance where pockets of ruined buildings could be seen interspersed in the trees. "You can see what remains of the city there, though it's not much. This here," He turned and pointed to the main building behind them. "Was the main part of the castle, and you can see how it curves inwards at the top of those pillars. There would have been a great domed ceiling that once enclosed the great hall. We're not entirely sure as to who lived here or what their importance was, but we've carbon-dated the stones to over two thousand years ago. The oldest record we have of this place is an inscription on one of the tombs that lies underneath the castle. It reads _'Here lies the Lord of-'_ "

"Nemeth." Mithian murmured.

"That's right!" Frank said happily. "Some of the inscription is illegible after all these years, but there's enough for us to decipher that that particular tomb belongs to the last lord of Nemeth. Though why he was the last, or what happened here after is a mystery. What we do know is that for the forest to have grown as much as it has, Nemeth would have had to have been abandoned within a century or less of the last lord's passing."

"What?! _All_ of Nemeth was abandoned?" Mithian demanded.

"Well you can see the ruins yourself, it-"

"No. Nemeth was not just this castle and the city below. Nemeth was one of the original nine kingdoms of Britain over two thousand years ago. It became one of King Arthur's regions when he united Britain as one." She was near desperate for his answer. "So Nemeth was not just this place but an entire kingdom. Was _all_ of Nemeth abandoned? Or just this castle and the city?"

"Well…I couldn't say." Frank was taken aback. "We don't know anything about Nemeth except that it is the name of this castle and, we assume, the city. We didn't know that Nemeth was a kingdom." His gaze turned suspicious. "How did you? What are you sources? What excavation or study are you basing this claim off of?"

"My life." She gasped out, turning to her husband with tears in her eyes, begging him to tell her what had happened to her kingdom and her people.

"After Arthur died, each kingdom reclaimed their borders as there was no High King to lead them. I ensured that they would not undo everything we had worked for, and they continued with the council and Britain was still peaceful. However, because borders were reclaimed the monarchs reclaimed their titles as well, for with Arthur gone they were not just acting as stewards, but were kings and queens once more." He explained, coming to her side and taking her hands in his. "When Rodor died there was a grab for the throne and civil war broke out. That's when the castle and city were destroyed, in the battle for the throne. It got to the point where the other monarchs could no longer ignore it so they stepped in and stopped the war. The majority of the people of Nemeth survived, but Nemeth itself did not. With no one having gained the throne, the kingdom got absorbed by Odin and Alined, and the people joined one of their kingdoms." Mithian tried to hold back a sob and allowed Merlin to pull her into his embrace. "I'm so sorry. I should have been here. I should have stopped it. I should not have let your kingdom fall."

"It's not your fault." She murmured.

"I was hiding and moping when I should have been strong."

"You are not allowed to blame yourself, for I do not. As Arthur said many times it is the people who matter. The kingdoms borders and who sits on the throne are irrelevant if the land is at peace and the people safe and happy." They held each other for awhile before becoming aware that they were not alone.

"Who…who are you?" Frank ventured. The two turned to look at him and Mithian nudged Merlin for him to do the introductions, allowing him to decide what they would tell this man.

"This is my wife Lady Mithian, the former Princess of Nemeth. And I am called Merlin." He decided on the truth, though how much they elaborated remained to be seen.

"M-Merlin?" He gasped, knowing that name well if not the other one. "As in the…sorcerer Merlin? The one from Arthurian legend who's been on the news lately?"

"The same." Frank was silent for a moment, but eventually found his voice again.

"And you…?" He directed to Mithian.

"This was once my home." She said, looking around sadly. "I was my father's heir, would have one day been Queen of Nemeth, but when King Arthur united Britain that was no longer necessary. I gave up my title, and my throne, and married Merlin."

"So you know all about this place then." He realized, starting to get excited. He had dedicated much of his life to discovering all that this place had to offer, and here was someone who could give him a first hand account.

"Yes." She said shortly. "And perhaps we can discuss it later. But first, if you would show us the entrance to the royal crypts? I would show us myself but it all looks so different." The last bit was muttered under her breath somewhat bitterly as she recognised that she did not know her home any longer.

"The royal crypts?"

"Yes. You said that you had discovered the tomb of the last lord of Nemeth. That would be my father, King Rodor, and he would be entombed in the royal crypts as all our family had been for many generations."

"It's not open to visitors." He said somewhat hesitantly. Mithian pursed her lips while Merlin raised an eyebrow.

"You are speaking to the Princess of Nemeth, the rightful owner of this castle, who merely wishes to pay her respects to her father." He said, somewhat condescendingly. "If she wishes to visit her father's grave you will not stop her. And if I have to use magic to find the crypts then so be it. Either way, my wife _will_ see her father's tomb." Frank nodded and pointed behind him before turning and leading the way. The door that had led down to the crypts had been destroyed, the staircase now covered by planks of wood which Frank removed. It was dark and dusty and Merlin made a ball of light appear as Mithian searched for the one tomb she did not recognize, knowing it would belong to her father. It did not take long to find and Mithian spent some time crying her over father's grave, and regaling him with tales of what had happened since Camelot fell. She spent over an hour talking to him, even bringing Merlin forward to reacquaint him with his son-in-law, before she bid him farewell, promising to visit again soon. When they returned topside, Mithian gave in to Frank's questions and began to explain everything about Nemeth, filling in the many gaps he had. Merlin watched as his wife told tales of her kingdom, her people, and her life, a light shining in her eyes as she remembered all of the joy and happiness she had felt while Princess of this castle, and Merlin breathed a sigh of relief, glad that bringing her here had not been a mistake.


	23. The Second War Begins

_Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin._

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 **Chapter 23 – The Second War Begins**

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Aric and Gina arranged for the modern royal family to visit early the following week. Morgana had been quiet ever since her defeat at the former Saxon stronghold and they felt it a good time to involve the modern royals before she made her next move. Gina volunteered to pick them up, volunteering Dominic, Taylor and Glen to go with her. They had decided to begin this visit as their present day selves, The High Queen and Knights of the Round Table not being necessary at the moment, though they intended to welcome Queen Elizabeth and her family as the visiting royals they were, albeit for an unofficial visit. All of Camelot had begun preparations, for even an unofficial royal visit was still filled with much pageantry in their time. Merlin had, of course, offered to transport them directly to Camelot, however, concerns had been raised by The Queen's staff and it would defeat the purpose of publically allowing visitors into Camelot; The Queen and her family needed to be seen entering the castle. And so, Gina found herself seated in the front of an armoured car, Aric had insisted and Merlin had agreed and enhanced the vehicle, while Dominic drove. In the car with them were The Queen and Prince Philip as well as the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall. The younger royals followed with Taylor and Glen, while two cars with The Queen's security followed behind them. It was a leap of faith for her security to allow The Queen and other royals into a car without them; however, as Philip pointed out, they had had ample opportunity to harm them during their previous visit had they wanted. Not to mention that security officers would not be able to stop Merlin regardless of what they tried, so it was quite unnecessary for them to be in the same vehicle. Gina was looking behind her, in discussion with her guests about the preparations that had taken place in Camelot for their visit as well as the historical significance about them, when Dominic swerved suddenly, bringing the car to a screeching halt.

"Everyone alright?" He asked.

"Yes." They all muttered, some pulling at their seatbelts which had locked into place at the sudden movement.

"What happened?" Gina then demanded. In answer Dominic pointed to the road ahead of them. "Morgana." She growled, seeing their enemy simply standing there. "We should have known she'd try something. Stay here!" She directed to their guests before shoving her door open and exiting the car. Dominic, Taylor and Glen followed her and they were vaguely aware of Queen Elizabeth's security checking on the royal family and standing guard, guns drawn, while they faced Morgana.

"Hello Gwen." The witch sneered. "Or should I say Gina?" None of them had bothered to change into past selves, though they knew they could at a moment's notice if necessary.

"What do you want, Morgana?"

"If you would had over the throne that would be lovely." She was clearly mocking them.

"Even if that was in my power I would not. You are also about two thousand years too late. Not even Arthur could give you the throne anymore."

"Why do you think I'm here? When you've so neatly wrapped the current monarch and her heirs up for me."

"We will not let you harm them!" Taylor cried. Light shimmered over them as they called on the Knights they once were, the three appearing and drawing their swords. Morgana merely laughed and nodded her head forward, her eyes flashing gold as she sent the three Knights of the Round Table flying backwards.

"Did you really think your swords could do anything to me?" She asked as she began stalking towards her once best friend. Gina stood alone before an enemy far more powerful than her, though she refused to cower, refused to even allow The High Queen to come forward for that would be giving Morgana at least part of what she wanted; defeating The High Queen of Britain, and bringing her one step closer to the throne.

"It doesn't matter what I think, Morgana. But I will not let you harm Queen Elizabeth or her family."

"And how do you propose to stop me?" She demanded. "You have no magic, no power, and are useless with a sword."

"She's not alone though!" One of The Queen's security guards called, as all six of them raised their weapons. Gina was somewhat touched that Queen Elizabeth's security would stand up against Morgana with her. Though, she supposed, Morgana had threatened their queen. However, they could have still just waited for Morgana to kill her and then defended their queen, instead they came forward to stand alongside her, none showing the fear she knew they must be feeling when facing someone they could not hope to defeat.

"Between us we will stop you, Morgana." Galahad added as he and the other Knights re-joined Gina, having picked themselves up as quickly as possible.

"You'll try." She admitted with a smirk, evidently looking forward to the attempt. Raising her hand, Morgana prepared to attack but was stopped as a great, loud roar sounded. It appeared to be coming from all around them and the witch stopped her attack in favour of looking around for the source alongside everyone else. The roar, which seemed somewhat familiar to Gina and the Knights, sounded again followed by two higher pitched screeches. The sounds grew louder as they drew closer and their location could finally be identified, every head turning towards the sky as the pure white dragon flew towards them.

"Get back!" Gina cried as she and the Knights pushed the security guards towards the cars, pressing as close as they could as the dragon swooped towards Morgana. They could see the moment when she drew in breath, a powerful burst of fire leaving her mouth. Morgana barely had enough time to throw up a shield, though she managed it. However, the two smaller, though no less brilliant, dragons that swooped in to launch their own attack, caught her by surprise. The second shield she attempted to erect was not fast enough and her clothes caught fire. Growling Morgana quickly put the fire out and turned to see the three dragons coming around for a second pass. Knowing it was nearly impossible to kill a dragon, let alone three at once, Morgana instead chose to retreat to fight another day. With a scathing look in Gina's direction, she waved her hand and disappeared in a puff of smoke. With the threat gone, the white dragon flew down and landed not far away, though the two smaller dragons quickly departed, which was probably for the best given the present company.

"Aithusa!" Gina smiled happily, hastening to the dragon's side and bringing her arms around her neck when she lowered it in greeting.

"It makes my old heart glad to see you alive again, Your Majesty." Aithusa spoke, her voice of a higher pitch than Kilgharrah's had been, though it still rumbled from deep within The Great Dragon.

"That is going to take some getting used to, hearing you talk." Gina admitted with a laugh.

"But is it not good that we can finally communicate properly?" There was amusement in the dragon's voice as she spoke. "I seem to recall some poor attempts when you decided Merlin was quite incapable of caring for me, though I did not need it." Gina scowled good-naturedly.

"Yes, well, how was I supposed to know that you were a few centuries old and quite capable or taking care of yourself when all Merlin told us was that you were very young and he hoped Kilgharrah looked after you properly? He made it out as if you were barely more than a baby dragon without a mother to care for you. Of course I decided that _Merlin,_ of all people, was not fit to be your mother, Dragonlord or not." Aithusa threw her head back and laughed heartily.

"And you took on the task admirably." Lowering her head once more Aithusa looked Gina in the eyes, and she could see something akin to love, and loyalty shining in the dragon's eyes. "It was your actions in the early days of your reign that assured my loyalty to Camelot, and to you." Gina must have looked confused for Aithusa explained. "You accepted me and welcomed me even after I had attacked your people. You gave yourself the task of caring for me when you thought it needed, and remained my friend when it proved unnecessary. I would never again attack the innocent as the Dragonlord commanded it, and I would spend my life serving Britain alongside Merlin for I owed him a debt I could never repay, and he was the first to truly care for me after his father. However, even though his caring is sincere, he is The Last Dragonlord and feels a duty to my kind. But you, Guinevere Pendragon, you had no reason to care for me, and more reason than most not to. Yet, you opened your heart to me, as you had for countless others, with your warmth and kindness. You could say you won me over, My Queen. You have a way about you that is hard to describe, yet inspires love and loyalty in those that cross your path. You earned my respect and my loyalty many years ago. It is just one of the reasons, though not an insignificant one, that my children and I protected you this day, and will continue to help in the fight against Morgana." Gina didn't know what to say to Aithusa's heartfelt speech. In the past she had considered herself and the white dragon friends of sorts, though as they could not speak together she had never known how Aithusa had felt, and either the dragon had never confessed anything to Merlin, or the Dragonlord had not seen fit to inform her. She could see now, however, that Aithusa had been looking to fill the void that Balinor had left when he died; looking for the same unconditional love and acceptance Merlin's father had given her, while wanting nothing in return. The High Queen had not set out to fill that void, had merely done what she thought right, but she knew all too well that often it was the small things, things done with no prior plan or search for a return, that mattered the most. Gina spoke softly, bringing her hand up and placing it on the side of the dragon's head, as she had many times in the past.

"I welcome your friendship and thank you for your help this day. But I will not ask you to fight in this war. And if Merlin thinks to then he and I shall be having some words."

"Merlin has made it quite clear that he expects nothing from us, nor did he ask me here today. On his last visit he spoke of the modern Queen's visit to Camelot and how you would accompany them. It was a perfect opportunity for Morgana, so I stayed nearby, watching over your convoy for any sign of trouble."

"Thank you."

"It was my pleasure, My Queen." She responded simply as her eyes alighted on those behind Gina, who turned seeing that the dragon's attention was no longer on her.

"Well met, Aithusa." The three Knights greeted with smiles of their own, though it was shocked expressions of their guests that truly held her attention.

"You need not fear me." She called out. "Even if I so desired I could not harm you, though I assure you I do not wish to do so." Queen Elizabeth and her family had exited the cars when Morgana had fled and Gina had rushed to hug the creature. The security guards had yet to put away their weapons, so in shock were they, that they appeared capable of very little at the moment, as one proved when he raised his arm and pointed at Aithusa, a squeak leaving his lips.

"D-dragon…"

"Yes, this is a dragon." Gina spoke up, moving to their side. "Her name is Aithusa, and she is The Great Dragon, the oldest and most powerful of them all."

"There's more?!" Harry practically demanded.

"Yes, though we are far from numerous." Aithusa informed them. "There was a time it was thought that I was the last of my kind, that dragons would truly be extinct upon my death. Although that is no longer the case, we are...what is the term? Ah, yes, 'endangered species.' There are very few dragons remaining."

"How have we not known about your existence?" William asked, the shock of seeing a living dragon, a creature thought entirely mythical, starting to wear off.

"Humans have a tendency to see only that which they wish to see." Aithusa imparted her knowledge; apparently being wise was a trait mandatory of The Great Dragon. "There was a time that magic was rampant on earth, and all knew of and accepted its existence. It began to disappear little by little, as the ways of the Old Religion were forgotten, until finally magic became a myth, often an evil one, in the eyes of men. Magic is capable of many wondrous things, and horrific ones, it is true, but regardless of how magic was used, falling into myth meant that its use terrified people. Magic was blamed for any strange occurrence or dreadful misfortune, and many were persecuted because of it, regardless of whether they possessed magic or not. Is it any wonder then that creatures of magic, such as myself, fell into myth as well? When magic began to leave the land many magical beings could no longer survive without the magic that used to live in the very earth you stand on, and so they died away. Very few magical creatures still live, and those of us that do have lived in hiding for so long, knowing that should we be seen that we would be hunted until dead, that we have gotten quite good at not revealing ourselves to humans."

"That's horrible." Kate murmured.

"Indeed." Aithusa agreed. "But, it is the way things are, and have been for many centuries. You do not know of our existence because those few humans who run into us from time to time are deemed insane or liars when they tell their tale as none want to believe that the creatures their ancestors before them had relegated to myth could possibly be real. Human ignorance allows us to live in peace."

"But you're here now, revealing yourself to us." They had to argue.

"Times are changing, young Princes. The time of The Once and Future King and Queen is upon us. They will unite the land and bring about another Golden Age for their kingdom and its people. _All_ of its people, not just humans. It helps, of course, to know that The Immortal Mage, The Last Dragonlord, is on our side. Even should things not go as has been foretold, he would allow no harm to come to any dragon, not even if it be their fault for revealing their existence to the world." Aithusa then stood, preparing to take flight. "I shall ensure your safe passage to Camelot. The witch shall not disturb you again. Goodbye, My Lady. We shall meet again." Spreading her wings, the white dragon took flight, disappearing off in the distance, though they knew she would not stray too far. After that excitement the rest of the drive to Camelot was very subdued. As they approached the castle gates the cars came to a stop beside horse drawn carriages, albeit quite small ones to accommodate the narrow streets of the city; these would not be the luxury Victorian era coaches they were used to.

"The cars are too big to fit through the streets." Guinevere explained, having reverted to her past self now that she was back at Camelot. "We will have to go by carriage. I do apologize for they will be cramped and uncomfortable but it is only for a few minutes." None complained as they climbed into the carriages, Guinevere riding with Elizabeth and Philip while the rest of their party clambered into the others, the children sitting excitedly in their parents' laps, while Tristan, Dagonet and Galahad rode separate horses as their escort. The streets were crowded with cheering people, cries of 'God save The Queen!' were heard all around them while children ran alongside the carriages, passing flowers to Kate, Camilla, as well as their past and present Queens. It took longer than expected to reach the castle courtyard simple due to the sheer number of people that had turned out to greet the royal visitors. Trumpets sounded when they finally did arrive, all of Camelot's inhabitants having gone all out for this royal visit, and on the castle steps stood King Arthur and his court, all decked out in their best. When the carriages came to a stop Arthur himself opened the door and handed Queen Elizabeth down before greeting her with a kiss on the hand.

"Queen Elizabeth, welcome to Camelot. You and your family are most welcome."

"Thank you." She replied, trying not to look around in awe at the fabled castle. This was not like the engagements she usually attended where practically every moment was planned and she knew what to expect; she was here, not surrounded by her aides, but by Arthur's and his people, while even if her aides were here none could plan a trip to Camelot in this day and age.

"We heard of Morgana's attack, Aithusa brought word." He said as he kept hold of her hand and escorted her inside, just as he had Gwen when she had first arrived as a young girl. The High Queen happily took Prince Philip's hand when offered and the two followed their spouses while the Knights, Merlin and Mithian made their way to the others and kept them company during the walk to the great hall. "We do hope no one is harmed."

"Not at all." She assured him. "I think we were far more shocked to learn that dragons actually exist." Arthur laughed.

"Yes, that would not be something anyone could expect." They made it to the great hall, where the rest of the court waited, the Knights' families standing at the front, while Alaria and Nan kept hold of their royal charges. The thrones which usually graced the dais had been removed, leaving it empty; Arthur and Gwen had thought it best that they not have that imagery. The visiting royals were led onto the dais where Arthur turned to speak to those gathered.

"We welcome Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, and their family to Camelot with open arms." He spoke clearly and with authority. "It is our hope that their stay will be a prosperous one, and know you will do all in your power to make it such." There was a subtle warning in his words. While he had no reason to believe that any of their people were displeased that they were welcoming the present day Queen into Camelot, and treating her with all the pomp and courtesy due a reigning sovereign of equal station to their King, he wanted it made clear that any who might quietly harbour those thoughts were to keep them hidden, if not let them go entirely. "But enough with the formalities. Please return to your duties and your pleasures. We shall see you all for the feast this afternoon." Many departed at the clear dismissal, though their friends and family remained.

"Papa!" Eleanor cried, having finally broken out of Alaria's grasp. She toddled to her father, who happily took her into his arms.

"I do not believe you have met our children." Gwen said, coming forward with William in tow. "Our daughter, Princess Eleanor, who I believe is of an age with Prince George." Hearing his name, the little boy looked up and at his father's encouragement said hello to The Princess, who waved shyly from her own father's arms. "And this is our son, Prince William."

"So there should have been a William I long before William the Conqueror." Harry commented without thinking, earning a glare from his father.

"Harry…" He muttered warningly as that particular topic was brought up.

"It's alright." William spoke up. "I know he means that had things been different I would have been King William I. And I know I will never be king now. Papa and mama explained that the Pendragon dynasty was over." He didn't seem entirely certain on the words he was using, clearly they came from his parents, though the meaning behind them was understood. "Besides, being king's no fun. Papa always has to attend meetings and make sure lords are happy and there's always some paper he needs to read and sign. It's boring." The child in him shone through with that answer, earning a round of chuckles.

"William and Eleanor would be happy to show Prince George and Princess Charlotte the royal nursery while we give you a tour." Gwen offered. "Alaria is their nurse, while Nan is…well I don't think we ever sorted out a proper title for Nan's position once I grew up but she's in charge of their welfare, and helps Alaria."

"And yours too, lovey. I care for you too." The old woman spoke up. She never would have done so in public two thousand years ago, but times had greatly changed.

"Yes, mine as well." Gwen laughed. "Nan was originally my nurse when I was little. She has very much been a mother to me."

"No harm will come to Their Royal Highnesses, we give you our word." Nan spoke directly to William and Kate. "Your men are more than welcome to stand guard, if it makes you more comfortable."

"And Sir Percival will be there, naturally." Arthur said dryly, for indeed Eleanor was reaching out for the brawny Knight, who took her into his arms.

"Just because The Princess enjoys my company more than her stuffy papa's is no reason to be snippy, Sire." He joked and made his way out of the great hall.

"She only enjoys his company more because he has no qualms about making an ass out of himself for her." Arthur muttered stiffly. "Whereas I, as High King, could not." Gwen tried not to snort.

"Oh please. How many times have you crawled around the nursery floor, neighing while playing horsey with them?"

"That is not the point."

"Of course not." Gwen rolled her eyes and turned to their guests. "I do assure you they will be safe in the nursery. But of course if you would prefer to keep them with you that is quite alright." William and Kate looked to each other before reaching a decision.

"They'll have more fun in the nursery." Kate said, handing Charlotte to Nan. The little princess began to cry at being separated from her mother, but Nan expertly quieted her before the tears could truly fall.

"Come on George!" William said, grabbing the younger prince's hand. "Roy and I will show you our toys."

"No swords!" Both Gwen and Vanora shouted after their sons.

"I mean it, William Pendragon! If Alaria or Nan tells me you even touched the sword with Prince George and Princess Charlotte in the room there will be consequences."

"For you too, Royston. Do not doubt it." The mothers held their warning glares as two slightly more subdued boys ran off with George, Alaria and Nan following with Charlotte while two of Elizabeth's security guards followed; they may be comfortable allowing their children to play with the other children, but they would still be extra cautious in this unknown environment. The tour went well, with many questions asked, and ended at the nursery to allow the parents to check on the children. They found Charlotte, George and Eleanor fast asleep while William and Roy quietly played in the corner. Nan and Alaria were both nearby, keeping a watchful eye on the children while Percival had engaged the two guards in conversation, the three now animatedly discussing the differences in guarding ancient and modern day royals. Leaving them to it, the large group made their way to the banquet hall for the feast. Arthur took his place at the centre of the high table, his ornate chair awaiting him, while a near identical chair sat to his immediate right, the spot of the guest of honour, for Queen Elizabeth. Prince Philip sat to his left with Gwen beside him, and the rest alternating to ensure their guests were not alone. The feast went well, their guests seemed to enjoy the food, all of them favourite dishes from their time, and the atmosphere, which Harry compared to the feasts in episodes of _The Tudors_ he'd seen. Arthur and Gwen even managed to get the visiting royals to dance, teaching them the easiest and most sedate dances from two thousand years ago. Eventually the children joined them for their own dinner, all earning a great deal of attention from the courtiers, which George and Charlotte did not know what to make of, though William and Eleanor were quite used to. The feast was winding down, their guests preparing to leave, when the doors burst open and a man wearing Pendragon livery ran in. The music stopped as he approached The King, the Knights standing and their hands instinctively going to their swords as they expected the worst.

"Merlin!" Arthur cried once the man had finished whispering in his ear. The Court Mage came forward to face his King. "Merlin, we need that crystal ball you had. The one that acted like the telly." Merlin complied at once making the ball appear and along with the only channel which would have Arthur making such a request at this time: the news. The entire hall watched in horror as smoke enveloped downtown London. The newscaster reported that with no warning a massive bomb had exploded in St. James'. There was no indication of who had set the bomb, though several extremist groups had rushed to claim responsibility. The only abnormality before the event was that there were reports of a woman, with raven hair and dressed all in black, appearing on the balcony of Buckingham Palace just before the bomb went off.

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 **A/N - Sorry, I know this is overdue. I usually am pretty good about updating every week, but I am drastically behind on my writing. Like really drastic as in I only have the next chapter written and nothing after that. I like to keep a few chapters ahead so I don't have large gaps between posting new chapters, it's a pet peeve of mine when author's start writing and go on hiatuses for months (or even just weeks) so I swore I'd never do it.**

 **That being said, I'm probably gonna do it. Ok so it won't be as bad as that, I highly doubt I'll go a month between chapters, but it'll probably be two weeks now instead of every week, maybe three weeks if I end up doing overtime at work as sometimes happens in July and August. My apologies in advance.**

 **As to this chapter, not much to say. Brought back the modern royals as I said I would. They'll go away again soon, though it may not be the last time we see them; as I mentioned I'm not that far ahead in my writing. Aithusa's back! And yes, I've passed on being The Great Dragon to her as if it's like a title or something. We'll see her again soon too. Things are also starting to come to a close, expect only a handful of chapters left, exact number unknown.**


	24. The Immortal Mage

_Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.  
_

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 **Chapter 24 – The Immortal Mage**

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"Morgana." Arthur growled. "She has made her next move."

"Far earlier than we expected too." Leon added.

"Where the bloody hell did she even get her hands on a bomb?" Gwaine demanded. "It's not exactly something she'd know how to make."

"She has magic, Gwaine. Powerful magic. She likely enchanted someone who knows bombs to do her bidding." Merlin said.

"She hit right near Buckingham Palace and appeared on the balcony there. She's making a statement." Gwen murmured. None could disagree, especially not after her attempt on Queen Elizabeth and her family.

"I must return to London." The modern day Queen then spoke up.

"That's really not a good idea." Merlin insisted.

"I did not hide during the Second World War, I will not hide now."

"You are not hiding, you are staying alive." Arthur intervened. "I know how Morgana thinks. For her to launch an attack so soon after her attempt on your life means she is trying to lure you out. No doubt she is waiting for you to leave the safety of Camelot to either kill you, or take you hostage and warp your mind to her purposes."

"The British people-"

"Need you to live." Gwen said, completely agreeing with her husband. "You can do nothing for them if you are dead, or in Morgana's hands."

"Give me a day." Merlin said suddenly. "Morgana is clearly after you and if she has enchanted someone to do her dirty work for her, then you are in grave danger if you leave Camelot. All of you."

"We are not even a true monarchy, we don't control the country." Charles said, siding with his mother. "You should be protecting the Prime Minister, not us."

"Morgana is from a time when kings and queens ruled the world. The concept of a democratically elected Prime Minister is entirely foreign to her, she still thinks the monarchy is more important." Merlin tired to explain. "And even if she grasps the concept of a Prime Minister in theory, she knows you still hold a lot of power. Just give me one day." He said again. "We have cell service here, you can call whoever you need to, let everyone know you're safe and that you return to London tomorrow. You can even make a speech to your people and we can film it on a cell and send it to the media if you want, but give me twenty-four hours, just twenty-four hours to make it safe for you to leave Camelot."

"And how do you propose to accomplish that?" Arthur asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't know yet." Merlin admitted after a moment. "But I'm going to go see The Lady and figure it out." With a nod of acceptance from his King, Merlin kissed his wife goodbye and flashed out of the room.

"He may be a bumbling idiot, with the only smart, sensible thing he has done in his entire life being to give in to Princess Mithian, but he's a powerful and loyal bumbling idiot. And our friend." The feast was now thoroughly ruined and so Arthur declared it at an end while Gwen went to summon a few servants to see to their guests.

"My own maid, Sefa, will see to you, My Lady." She addressed Queen Elizabeth once the summons had been issued. "There is none better, save perhaps Nan back in the day, but Nan trained Sefa herself."

"My manservant too will attend Your Grace." Arthur told Philip. "George is the most efficient servant I have ever seen..." He paused a moment before continuing. "Though he does have a penchant for making jokes about brass. Please feel free to ignore him. I do."

"Be nice, Arthur." Gwen chided. "George has been nothing but good to you since entering your service."

"Which is the only reason I put up with his brass jokes and how dull he is." Arthur muttered under his breath as George, Sefa and a few other servants entered the room.

"Ah, George." Arthur said. "I will not require your services tonight. Instead you will assist His Royal Highness, Prince Philip." George nodded his head, quite content with that arrangement.

"Sefa if you too wouldn't mind attending Her Majesty I would be most grateful." Gwen added.

"Of course, My Lady." It was a not so subtle dismissal, one that none of them were terribly used to, though especially not The Queen or the Duke of Edinburgh, and yet they allowed it without comment, knowing they'd be fighting many battles in the near future, and neither wanting nor needing to make a battle out of this.

"Auberta and John will direct you to your chambers, and be happy to assist you as well." Gwen directed to their other guests as The Queen and Prince Philip were led to their own chambers. She then addressed William and Kate personally. "Prince George and Princess Charlotte are welcome to remain in the nursery, or we can have a couple cots brought in if you'd prefer they stay with you for the night." William and Kate looked to each other, unsure. At home the children had their own nursery, though their room was nearby in case their children needed them in the night; regardless of employing a nanny the royal parents did not adhere to tradition and cared for their children on their own as much as possible. However, they were in a strange place, and they did not want to leave them alone in unfamiliar settings. Seeming to read their mind, Gwen stood and said she needed to check on her own children, inviting them to do the same. Any worries the modern royal parents had about their children being frightened in the strange castle disappeared the moment they saw them both sound asleep alongside William and Eleanor, George even sharing the same bed as Camelot's Princess, drawing a raised eyebrow from the adults.

"William and Roy were up to their usual tricks again." Alaria explained.

"Oh dear." Gwen murmured, her lips pursing in her sleeping son's direction.

"Rest assured, Your Grace, it was nothing I could not handle. They merely woke Eleanor, who was quite upset at being pulled from sleep. Prince George did not like that and told them off before going to comfort The Princess and standing guard so she would not be disturbed again." Alaria's amusement was quite obvious. "The poor dear took his task so seriously he tried himself out and fell asleep where he stood. I sent Roy home and The Prince to bed after that. Princess Charlotte slept through the whole thing, Your Highnesses. She did not even stir once." She added for William and Kate's benefit. "Shall I bring them to your chambers?" She then asked, believing that to be why they were there.

"No. Let them sleep." William said. Their fears for their children's comfort was clearly unfounded, both appeared to be in a deep sleep, and regardless of not knowing these people very well, one thing they knew for certain was that they would not harm George or Charlotte.

"Your chambers shall be right next door." Gwen said softly, pointing to a door leading directly from the nursery itself. "That was to become William's room upon his next birthday. He was getting a bit old for the nursery, but we still wanted him close. You'll hear them if they need you, and Arthur and I are close at hand as well." Gwen pointed to a door in the opposite direction of the one that was to be theirs. "No one would dare harm them with The High King so close."

"Not to mention there are guards patrolling the castle." Arthur added.

"Thank you." Said Kate, both she and William feeling more at ease with this arrangement, though they suspected that was exactly the idea. The way Alaria had spoken they got the impression that their room was some ways off, but upon saying their children could remain in the nursery Gwen had given them one much closer to put them at ease. Bidding each other goodnight, Alaria took her leave while both sets of parents went to kiss their sleeping children before retiring to their chambers.

 **oo00oo00oo**

They were all woken quite early, knowing with what had happened that the day needed to start early. The same servants that had seen to the modern royals the night before had returned to help them dress, their clothes having been laundered as they slept in garments provided by The King and Queen, before they were led to the throne room. Upon entering they stopped suddenly as they came face to face with a large round table, no doubt the one of legend. Some of the Knights they had met the previous night were already seated around the table, while other spaces remained empty. Sir Leon approached at their arrival and informed them that Merlin had returned and called for a meeting of the council. Given it was their country and their people as well, Arthur hoped that they would attend. The reason Alaria had insisted she would care for George and Charlotte became clear; this was no place for children. At their nod of acceptance Leon led them over to several of the empty chairs that once belonged to the monarchs of Albion. The Knights who were already in attendance stood at their approach, offering a short bow to the current British monarch before retaking their seats after The Queen had been taken hers only to jump back up a moment later when the doors opened again and their King and Queen, along with Merlin and Mithian, entered.

"I call this meeting of the Round Table to order." Arthur said as he had many times before. "Merlin what news?" He wasted no time in getting to the point.

"I spoke with The Lady of the Lake last night, as well as with The Disir." He started to the surprise of those who knew exactly how powerful, and important, those particular beings were. "The Lady has sensed something which does not bode well for us, though she does not know what. My own feelings concur with her. The Disir then summoned me and gave me a bit of insight, though they do not have all the answers yet as The Triple Goddess herself does not. They said that something was not right with Morgana. That she feels different than she did before. Your instinct that something was off with her was right, Arthur." He addressed The King, referring to the feeling he had gotten when they had first faced Morgana in this time. "Whatever Morgana is up to she is neck deep in dark magic."

"And that would be why The Triple Goddess, and The Disir, do not know anything more." Percival surmised, all of them knowing that The Triple Goddess was a being of light magic. Merlin nodded.

"We don't know exactly what yet, but we're working on it."

"And in the meantime?" Gwen asked. "What can we do now?"

"We can ensure that whatever it is Morgana is up to, it cannot be to use modern warfare." He replied. "The Lady has agreed to help me as we're unsure if my magic alone will be strong enough."

"What are you going to do?" Arthur asked.

"We are going to protect the world, Your Grace." The Lady's voice spoke as she appeared in a glimmer of light as she had once before. All stood at her appearance, the modern royals following their hosts' example.

"My Lady." Arthur offered a short bow. "We are honoured by your presence, and welcome your help, as always."

"My allegiance is yours, Arthur Pendragon, as I have said many times."

"And so you have." He admitted, though refused to take back or apologize for his words.

"Did you say you're going to protect the world?" Gwaine had to ask as they all took their seats again, The Lady even joining them, having appeared in a physical form this time and conjuring a chair for herself.

"Indeed she did." Merlin pick up. "Modern warfare will have no impact upon Camelot given the powerful wards surrounding the castle. We will now do the same for the rest of the world."

"You're going to place wards around _the entire world?!_ " Lancelot was a bit more than sceptical.

"Magic knows very few limits, Sir Lancelot." The Lady spoke.

"And those limits are only that which go against nature and the natural order of things." Merlin added.

"But at Badon Hill didn't you say that not even with the help of all the other Court Mages could you protect our camp? How can you now protect _the entire world_ with even less help?" Arthur asked.

"That was two thousand years ago. Much has changed." Merlin muttered.

"There is also the not so small fact of who you are speaking to." The Lady continued. "Seated before you is Emrys, The Immortal Mage of prophecy, the most powerful sorcerer to ever live. He possesses the power to bend time and space, and can call upon elemental magic as none before him could for his magic runs deep through this very earth; an earth that may begin with Britain, but does not end there, for he is magic itself. Emrys is more than capable of placing a shield over the planet as his magic runs rampant throughout it. Two thousand years ago he could have protected your camp as well, though he was unaware of it at the time. Merlin did not know the extent of his power back then, nor did he fully understand his destiny. Then there is me, The Lady of the Lake, who if I may say so possesses no small amount of magic. While Emrys is no doubt capable of this feat alone, together we cannot fail." There were unspoken words that only a few heard. The Lady was here because Merlin had asked for her help as he did not fully believe in his own abilities. It was an occurrence that was not uncommon, Merlin not believing himself capable regardless of what the truth was, and those who knew him best heard The Lady's unspoken reason for being here.

"So what will this shield do?" Tristan asked.

"It will act very much like the wards surrounding Camelot." Merlin answered. "It will protect those under it from physical attacks. Well, most physical attacks. That's why this is so complicated. We want to stop Morgana from detonating another bomb, or enchanting an army to do her bidding and having them invade somewhere guns blazing. Not only do we have to protect against internal attacks, warding Britain when the attacks are coming from within Britain, for example, but if we ward only Britain she'll merely turn her sights on the rest of the world, so we have to protect them all. But if we ward against all physical attacks then it could interfere with everyone's lives for the magic could take it literally and stop the police from doing their job, or…I don't know, stop people competing in a martial arts tournament because the magic deems it to be fighting and a physical attack. We're not trying to interfere with daily life, just to stop such large attacks like yesterday that are meant to hurt or kill many and sow terror."

"It will have the added effect of protecting against other attacks as well, not just Morgana's." The Lady said, looking quite happy about that.

"She speaks of the terrorist attacks and wars taken place across the world." Merlin explained. "Those are exactly the kind of things that our magic is meant to protect against, it will not discriminate between an attack by Morgana, and an attack by ISIS, for example." Merlin did not look as pleased as The Lady at this news.

"Are you saying you can put an end to war and terrorism?" Prince Charles all but demanded. He and his family had sat quietly and listened intently to what was being said. They were all quite out of their depths, but here was something they could not ignore.

"Yes." Merlin said simply. "But my magic is not meant to be used like this. If there was another way I would take it. But there isn't, so I will do what I must to defeat Morgana. If you will excuse me, I must prepare." When Merlin left The Lady did also, sending a look in Arthur's direction before departing. The ancient king sighed and took a moment to compose himself before turning back to the matter at hand.

"Sir Leon, Sir Percival, I want you to oversee the relocation of our present day families to Camelot. The fight with Morgana is coming to a head and I want them protected. Take the others with you." Knowing a dismissal when they heard one, the two First Knights stood and bowed to their King before leading the rest of the Knights out of the room. Mithian too took that moment to depart and go after her husband, leaving the modern royals alone with Arthur and Gwen. "Merlin is quite touchy on this particular subject." The King began to explain to their guests. "While we died and slumbered to two thousand years, awaiting the day we would be needed again, Merlin has lived all two thousand of those years. He is The Immortal Mage."

"We are not even sure if Merlin can die." Gwen picked up from her husband. "Whether he is truly immortal, or whether he will no longer be immortal after fulfilling his destiny we are unsure. The point here is that Merlin has lived through it all. Every war, every massacre, every tragedy that this world has faced in the last two millennia…he has seen it. He is the most powerful sorcerer to ever exist, or that will ever exist; as you said, he has the power to put an end to war and terrorism. But that power comes at a price."

"Should Merlin use his power like that he will be forcing his will on others. He will be using his magic to bring about his version of peace, regardless of what others think. That is exactly what Morgana is trying to do, and exactly what Merlin is afraid of. Just because he has the power to make things the way he wants them does not mean he should."

"But surely ending war and terrorism could only be for the good of the world. Everyone can agree on that." Harry argued.

"Can they?" Gwen countered. "Everyone has their own opinion, their own version of right and wrong, and their own reasons for doing what they do. Those responsible for 9/11, or the recent Paris bombings, they have their reasons. To us their actions are terrorism, to them they are following the will of their god, or taking a stand against a society that in their opinion is evil. There are any number of reasons and justifications that make complete sense to them, if not to us. I can never condone what they are doing. Regardless of the reasons behind it, killing and hurting innocents is wrong, and to me they are no better than Morgana, trying to force their will and their version of how the world should be on others. If Merlin were to do the same thing, were to use his magic to force his will and his version of how the world should be on others, would he not then be no better than those we fight against?"

"It does not matter that we agree that ending war and terrorism is a good thing. Nor does it matter that millions of people around the world would agree as well." Arthur continued. "It does not matter, for millions more would not agree with us, and so Merlin would be taking their free will and their freedom away. Both world wars are prime examples of this. The world wars were not one group of people against the rest of the world, but many groups of people against many other groups of people. The world did not fight against Hitler and the Nazis alone, the allied nations fought against several other nations that sided with Hitler and the Nazis. While it is true there were more countries that made up the Allies than the Axis powers, it was still not all against one, but many against many."

"Do you see what we are trying to say? It is never as simple as one person or one group being wrong, or evil. It is a matter of opinion and the world has never come together in their opinions, so there would be many people forced to the will of others. Regardless of the fact that he has the power to do so, Merlin does not feel it is his place, or his right to interfere so."

"But the fact he can, the fact that he has the power to change things, and regardless of bending people to his will, the fact that he has the power to save many lives and may not use it weighs heavily on him."

"Or in the case of past wars, the fact he _had_ the power to save many lives and _did not_ use it rests heavily on him."

"You will never get universal approval, you should know that quite well given the continuing existence of the monarchy is an endless debate, and Merlin will be facing enough backlash from…well from practically every corner of the world for this magic he must do to thwart Morgana. Do not make it any harder on him." It was both a request and a command, one that not even the current Queen was certain she could ignore. It had become clear very fast that not only was this a tight knit group, but the relationship The King had with his Court Mage was especially close. For all that they teased and insulted each other, neither would accept another delivering the insults, and anything that would truly hurt the other was dealt with swiftly and mercilessly; Elizabeth had no doubt that regardless of her own status as a British monarch, if she or her family did anything to hurt Merlin they would be faced with The High King of legend. Knowing there was no easy answer to this particular debate, The Queen simply nodded, her family following her lead. They then turned their attention to where they would go from here. True to their word, Queen Elizabeth had been able to make a call the previous night to ensure the palace that she and her family were unharmed and would be returning in the morning. Another call had been placed this morning for her palace aides to arrange a press conference. It had been decided quite quickly that after an attack like last night any response had to be just as public, and so it would be with the eyes of the world's media on them. With no better plan, Queen Elizabeth had decided to publically back Merlin's use of magic. This was not an enemy that they could fight, as had been clearly demonstrated to them when Merlin, after calming and returning to take his place beside Arthur, used his magic to show them bits of their battles in the past. Neither The Queen nor her family had been entirely convinced that there was absolutely nothing they could do to fight Morgana's magic and so Merlin yet again conjured his crystal ball and replayed choice moments in the battles they had fought. After seeing a full grown dragon, the same they had come face to face with the previous day, decimate a great portion of Camelot, after watching the sky grow dark with the appearance of the Dorocha, after seeing Merlin and Morgana fight magic against magic, they finally believed that the usual warfare would be quite useless and so The Queen followed the only path she had available to her: trust in the sorcerer and his magic to protect her people.

 **oo00oo00oo**

Merlin transported them directly to Buckingham Palace after breakfast and a clear sigh of relief went through the people gathered there. The Prime Minister himself welcomed The Queen home, before introducing himself to Arthur and Guinevere. It took a bit longer to convince him and Her Majesty's government, the top officials of which were also present, that this was the best course of action. The Prime Minister was all for declaring Morgana a terrorist and hunting her down. The discussion and debate continued to the lunch hour when finally Arthur and Merlin had had enough. Arthur, using every ounce of The High King that was in him, addressed the Prime Minister in the plainest of terms, while Merlin both added his own words as well as his magic, having let it loose enough for those in the room to feel its raw power. He them informed that what they had felt was a mere fraction of his power, and that Morgana's rivalled his; regardless of what they branded her or how hard they looked, if Morgana did not want to be found they would never find her, and no measures they could take could stand up to her magic. It seemed that just like when their identities were revealed and none questioned it or thought it a trick, the touch of magic was all it took to have people believe, though Merlin assured everyone he did not use his magic in any way that would take over a person's mind and bend them to his will, and after their discussion earlier this morning, none of the modern royal family doubted him. The Lady of the Lake, who had promised to be present to help Merlin, chose that moment to appear and offered her thoughts on the subject.

"There was a time that magic ran freely throughout the world." She informed them, having appeared purposefully in an impressive show of magic. "Humans accepted the simple truth that magic existed. They embraced it and welcomed it as a part of their world. Over the centuries since Camelot's fall, the knowledge of magic turned to something dark in the eyes of men and those in possession of it hid their knowledge to survive. The magic running throughout the earth began to recede until it lied all but dormant, used by only a select few who sill remained of the Old Religion. However, the magic is still there. Magic cannot leave the earth for it is a part of it, and it has began to awaken as more and more of earth's people accept its existence. It is time for magic to return to the world." It was an answer half of those in the room did not know what to do with. They had never lived in a world with magic and so did not know what to expect. Those who had been reborn, however, looked forward to magic's return, and the brief thought that perhaps this was their destiny flittered through Arthur and Gwen's minds, though they would think more on it later. For now they braced themselves and went to face the thousands waiting outside. The media had been allowed to set up just outside the palace gates so as to get a good view of the famous balcony where many royal appearances were made; though it would be a first for the Prime Minister to appear there and even more so for them to address the people instead of merely smiling and waving. A microphone had been placed at the centre which the Prime Minister stood before, prepared to offer the first response from the government after this attack, though he had to wait until the noise from the appearance of King Arthur, Queen Guinevere and their court had died down. The Prime Minister made a speech, saying all the right things to reassure the people of Britain that their government would not take this attack lying down, they would find the one responsible, and that they already had plans to ensure this could not happen again. In a show of solidarity he then turned to The Queen who reiterated the message before explaining the measures the Prime Minister had spoken of, and also explaining the presence of King Arthur and his court.

"This attack was not perpetrated by extremists a continent or ocean away, but by one in the very heart of Britain who has been continuing this fight for almost two thousand years." She said, looking over the crowd. "The woman seen on this very balcony before and during the attack was Morgana Pendragon, known in many incarnations of Arthurian legend as Morgan le Fay, and has refused to accept defeat, keeping a war going long past its time. However, she will accept defeat now. In an unprecedented union, both the past and present monarchies of Britain will see to her end. King Arthur, King of Camelot and High King of a united Britain in the past has graciously offered his assistance and that of The Knights of the Round Table, as well as that of Merlin, his Court Mage, and the sorcerer of legend." She paused a moment to allow that to sink in before continuing. "Though, it is Lord Merlin's assistance that is currently required. All those before you, as well as other elected members of parliament, have seen the truth that magic can only be fought with magic. Lord Merlin is not only the sorcerer you will be familiar with from Arthurian legend, he is the strongest sorcerer to ever exist and he will use his magic to protect everyone." Seeing she had the crowd's undivided attention she decided to press on, borrowing words spoken by The Lady of the Lake, not fifteen minutes ago. "There was a time that magic ran freely throughout the world. Humans accepted the simple truth that magic existed. Over time the knowledge of magic was lost to us until it became but something of fantasy. But magic itself has not left the earth. You have all seen it with your own eyes and must learn to accept it as our ancestors did if we are to have a chance of surviving this crisis." She continued on to explain exactly what Merlin had explained to them earlier, that he would essentially place a shield around the entire world to protect them all from Morgana. A low hum broke out over the crowd at her words, disbelief and discontent being the two most prominent emotions as people wondered if what The Queen suggested was actually possible and also what exactly it meant. The crowd quieted when the Prime Minister stepped forward and stood beside The Queen, silently offering his full support, though at the same time he knew he would be fielding calls from world leaders for the rest of the day, for they had just announced that what Merlin would do would impact not just Britain but other countries as well. Even so, he still believed this to be the right course of action. With everything that needed to be said done, The Queen and Prime Minister turned to Merlin who received a gentle shove from Arthur as he was thrust into the spotlight. All cameras were trained on him and the crowd waited with bated breath for this next move. Closing his eyes, Merlin took a calming breath, though it was his wife's hand in his for a brief moment that truly calmed him as Mithian let him know she was right there with him. Feeling The Lady of the Lake at his side, Merlin opened his eyes and raised his hands to the heavens, a move which appeared purely dramatic, but in actuality would help concentrate his magic as a starting point before it spread across the world.

" _Fy hud yn dod i mi yn awr. Rwy'n galw holl rym i mi a roddwyd yr un o broffwydoliaeth, a ddewiswyd gan Duwies Driphlyg. Grymoedd daear, aer, dŵr a phlygu tân i fy ewyllys."_ Merlin's eyes flashed gold and stayed that way as he began chanting. The wind picked up and a ball of light appeared in the centre of his outstretched hands, growing in size the longer he chanted and the louder his words got. So absorbed was he in his task that he was unaware the The Lady had neither spoken a word, nor cast even a drop of magic. _"Diogelu y byd hwn rhag dinistr, gadael unrhyw le heb eu cyffwrdd gan olau llachar hud yn. Er mwyn heddwch ateb fy galwad! Diogelu y byd hwn gan y rhai a fyddai'n dod â hi i adfail!"_ He was yelling by the time his spell ended and the ball of light, of pure magic that gathered before him, erupted outwords, the golden stream of magic swiftly making its way across the land leaving a protective shield on all it touched, including the people. A gasp shot through the crowd as the magic settled, leaving a sense of peace and security, a sensation that was felt all across the world as people paused, sat up straighter and breathed easier, those who were watching the scene unfoled knowing it must be Merlin's magic, while the rest would find out soon enough. When the magic stopped, Merlin stumbled having used a great deal of power, and gratefully accepted Arthur and Mithian's help to remain standing for the time being.

"You didn't help." Were the first words out of his mouth, directed towards The Lady of the Lake, who smirked, a smug look in her eyes.

"You did not need my help, Emrys. Your doubt in your abilities is all that stands in your way of accessing your true power, that which The Triple Goddess gifted you. What you have achieved here is no small feat, it is true, but you are more than capable of it, as you are more than capable of much more." Her smile softened. "I shall always be here should you have need of me, but I will not pander to your insecurities. Have faith in yourself, Merlin, as all here do." Her part done, The Lady disappeared, returning to her lake on the Isle of the Blessed.

"You actually did it." The Prime Minister mumbled. Although he had ultimately agreed that this was the best course of action, he had still had his share of scepticism that it could actually be accomplished. However, having seen the power Merlin held, and feeling its effects, he no longer doubted it. Although the show was clearly over the crowd had not dispersed, nor had any of the media turned their cameras away from the balcony, those televising the event even having caught much of the conversation as the mic was still on, though none were speaking into it.

"What are they waiting for?" Gwaine wondered, he and the other Knights of the Round Table having naturally accompanied their King and Queen.

"More magic, no doubt." Prince Charles said. "It is quite new to them, and of course seeing the legendary Merlin performing it is something else." The sorcerer in question raised his head, his eyes having lit up.

"No. Whatever it is you're thinking, the answer is no!" Arthur said, knowing that look all too well.

"But you wouldn't want to disappoint the people would you?" He countered, clearly having regained his strength.

"Merlin, whenever you have that look in your eyes you either do something stupid, or you end up causing me trouble. Actually it's usually both."

"You're overexaggerating." He dismissed.

"Am I? What about that time during a visit to Odin's kingdom with father when we were eleven? Or that time you thought it'd be a good idea for my room to clean itself? Or how about-"

"Alright, alright I get it." He mumbled. "But this time is different."

"You said it was different after every time you screwed up." Arthur deadpanned.

"Alright, well this time you don't have a choice." Arthur was about to protest with his favourite excuse that he was The King and if Merlin did anything without consulting him he'd have him thrown in the stocks, but it was too late for Merlin had turned once more towards the sky, calling on another of his abilities, this one his birthright.

" _Dragon! Imala! Sungente gumenta! Keshophanekes!"_ The crowd too turned to the sky as he spoke, waiting for something to happen, and becoming disappointed when nothing happened instantly.

"Was that really necessary?" Mithian had to ask, knowing along with their friends what Merlin had just done.

"They wanted to see magic, magical creatures should be just as good." He said with a shrug.

"And you don't think it's a bit too soon, what with every else going on? We don't want to overwhelm anyone."

"If people are not yet overwhelmed then a dragon isn't going to do it. They'll be fine. Besides Aithusa has been waiting near two thousand years to be able to fly freely again. This way we get the existence of dragons out there while letting the people know that they're on our side and not dangerous."

"Aithusa can be very dangerous when she wants to be. As can any dragon." Gwen argued.

"Well yes, of course, but she's not about to randomly attack anyone without being provoked. The same could be said for any non-magical animal. At least if the people see we're not afraid of dragons then they shouldn't fear them unless they get stupid and try to attack one."

"Did he just say dragon?" The Prime Minister asked.

"Indeed he did." Prince Harry answered with a smile, looking to the sky happily, excited to see a real dragon once again. Although it had not happened instantly it was not long before the flap of a dragon's giant wings could be heard and Aithusa flew over the castle, letting loose a great roar.

"Oi! None of that!" Merlin scolded as The Great Dragon came to hover before them. "We're trying to teach them to not be afraid of you."

"Humans have always, and will always, fear my kind, as they should." She responded. "We may not decimate cities with our flame but we are dragons, Merlin, not pet lizards. A healthy dose of fear would do them good."

"You know you sounded like Kilgharrah there, with the quip about not being pet lizards." He said after a moment.

"Kilgharrah was a wise dragon." Was the only reply he got. "Now, why have you summoned me, Dragonlord?"

"As if you don't already know." Merlin scoffed. His tone then softened and he looked up at Aithusa with kind eyes. "I promised you'd be able to fly freely again one day. That day is today." The Great Dragon bowed her head, the only thanks that was needed.

"Very well then. Climb on, Dragonlord. I have not forgotten my promise. Your wife is welcome as well." Merlin blushed and avoided the gazes of those around him.

"Merlin…?" Mithian finally asked, a cautionary note in her voice.

"When magic was lost to the world and we had to hide I swore that one day Aithusa, who was the only dragon at the time, would one day be free again." He explained. "And until then I would not endanger her by asking for a ride, regardless of the fact that she didn't really mind, like Kilgharrah did. She then promised that when the day came that she could fly freely she'd happily give me a ride once more. Stupid really."

"But it will aid in your purpose." Aithusa added. "Will we not seem more tame if a human is seen to ride us?"

"I doubt you could ever appear tame." Mithian mumbled as Merlin helped her climb onto Aithusa's back before climbing on behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"You're really going to do this, aren't you?" Lancelot asked in semi-disbelief; by now there was little Merlin did that could shock him.

"Aithusa's right that it'll help people be less afraid. She also would tell me if she minded and none of this would have ever come to light." Those who knew about the shared mind between a Dragonlord and dragons understood he meant that Aithusa would have communicated to him silently had she minded. "Besides, there's been so many shocks today, what's one more?" He asked with his customary goofy grin as Aithusa prepared to leave.

"Merlin!" Arthur cried as the dragon began to take flight. "You got us here, how are we supposed to get home without you?!"

"You're The High King of Britain, Arthur." He called back, his grin turning mischievous. "I'm certain you can figure it out."

"MERLIN!"

* * *

 **A/N - So yeah, Merlin is that powerful. Don't know if there's any precedence for it in any form of Arthurian legend, I couldn't find any, though granted I didn't do more than a Google search, but that's what I'm going with.**

 **The spell he chanted was Google translated into Welsh, (it's English version can be found below) and I take no responsibility for it being wrong, I do not know Welsh and relied entirely on Google.**

 _"My magic come to me now. I summon all the power granted me as the one of prophecy, chosen by The Triple Goddess. The forces of earth, air, water and fire bend to my will. Protect this world from destruction, leave no place untouched by magic's brilliant light. For the sake of peace answer my call! Protect this world from those that would bring it to ruin!"_

 **Only a few more chapters left, if anyone is still with me!  
**


	25. The Calm Before the Storm

_Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.  
_

* * *

 **Chapter 25 – The Calm Before the Storm**

* * *

Morgana naturally tested Merlin's wards over the following days but could find no holes in them; her attempt to detonate another bomb in the heart of London was easily thwarted by his magic. The bomb still went off; however, when his wards recognized its destructive power they contained the blast to an area no bigger than the device itself so that even those five feet away were left unharmed, though still frightened. Similar scenes played out across the world as extremist groups either tested the wards as well or simply didn't believe they actually existed, only to find their plans stopped by the warlock's magic and often themselves caught. It was also not just bombs that were rendered useless. An attempt at a mass shooting in the U.S. was stopped in its tracks by the wards, as the bullets had no sooner left the barrel of the gun before they fell to the ground harmlessly; the tremendous physical force the gun possessed to shoot the bullets being no match for Merlin's magic. This did not mean, however, that all violence in the world was stopped. As Merlin had said, only such attacks that would cause mass destruction, injury or death made possible by today's technology and modern warfare were stopped by the wards. There was some dissent about Merlin and his use of magic, as they expected there would be for no matter how hard you tried, universal acceptance would never be forthcoming. Overall, however, the response was quite positive. For the first time in recent memory there was no fear of terrorist attacks or mass killings. Merlin's wards had proven their effectiveness and the vast majority of the world felt safer because of them.

It was also a great victory for magic itself. As people saw that magic was real and became more comfortable with it, more and more people began to believe as their distant ancestors had. Seeing the good magic could do also had many accepting it instead of decrying it as something evil, though many knew that just as good magic existed, so too did dark magic. As the weeks passed, Arthur and Gwen became more and more convinced that it was indeed the return of magic that would see their destinies fulfilled. As magic became known once more, magical beings and creatures began coming out of the woodwork. There were not many, certainly not anywhere near as many as two thousand years ago, and none were mindless monsters for they had to have been smart enough to hide and evade capture all these years, but they were certainly still there. Human magic users, both those who had accepted their magic for what it was and those had convinced themselves they simply had a strange ability, were also discovered, though they were even fewer and further between than the magical creatures. Merlin was sure there were more though, but for whatever reason they decided to remain hidden, probably from the "religious nuts," as Merlin termed them, who were the most vocal about the evils of magic. Even so, it was a major leap forward from where things had been and both Britain, and the rest of the world, were one step closer to magic and non-magic users alike living together in peace as they had during the previous Golden Age.

All of this only renewed interest in the Arthurian legends, or rather the truth behind them that stood right before their very eyes. This meant that those camped outside Camelot grew in number as they became even more desperate to see the legendary castle and its people inside. It didn't help, of course, that Aithusa and her children were frequent visitors to the castle now that they could fly freely. They came from the secluded cave they had called home for centuries to the centre of everyone's attention on a frequent basis and the sight of dragons was naturally a huge draw. However, regardless of the crowd they drew, none could fault them, nor would ask them to stop coming, not when they were finally free after hiding for over a thousand years. After all, the crowds only became a problem if leaving the castle's wards, but none found much reason to leave, what with school now over, Camelot being self sustaining, and the only visitors were really their modern day selves' parents, whom Merlin would transport to avoid the crowd.

 **oo00oo00oo**

Today, a few weeks after Morgana's last attack, everyone had decided to go on a picnic at Eleanor's request. The entire extended family was to come, including The Knights and their families and even their present day parents. The young princess had loved the elaborate picnics they had taken in the past, for naturally royals could not simply take a picnic basket and blanket but brought cushions, tables, plates, a canopy if it was sunny, and of course servants to haul and serve it all. It was one of these elaborate picnics that they were going on now, and Merlin was to transport them all. Mithian made her way towards her and Merlin's chambers in search of him for he was late, unsurprisingly according to Arthur, and everyone awaited him in the throne room. Entering the room Mithian stopped short seeing Merlin in deep discussion with The Lady.

"My apologies, My Lady. I do not mean to intrude, but I came for my husband. Everyone is waiting."

"It is quite alright, we were finished anyways." She said with a smile. "Do think on what I have said though, Merlin."

"Of course." He agreed and with a wave goodbye The Lady took her leave. "Shall we?" Merlin then asked his wife, offering her his arm. Mithian took the offered arm but instead of allowing him to lead her out the door, she led him to the bench by the window instead. "Or not…"

"Spill." She instructed.

"Spill what? The jug of water?" He motioned to the jug on the nearby table and with a flash of his eyes the jug spilled over. Mithian looked quite unimpressed and with another quick flash of gold the water returned to the jug.

"Tell me what is wrong."

"What makes you think anything is wrong?" If it was possible her look grew more unimpressed. "Ah, you mean why The Lady was here and why her visit has me upset."

"I knew there was a brain in that head of yours." Merlin sighed but knew that they wouldn't be leaving until his wife was satisfied with his answer.

"The Lady just came from The Disir." He said. "They warned her that there is something…unusual going on with Morgana."

"Unusual in the way we'd expect? Or unusual in some other way that seems to confirm both yours and Arthur's feelings that something is off with her?"

"The latter." Mithian nodded as if expecting that answer.

"And you're upset because you're thinking what if she's 'off' because something happened to her two thousand years ago and it forced her to betray you." It wasn't a question. On more than one occasion they had all wondered 'what if', though none more so than Arthur, Merlin and Gwen.

"You know me too well." He said with a sigh, welcoming the comforting gesture of her hand on his.

"I will not tell you not to have hope. There is always hope, Merlin, and if The Disir themselves are saying that not everything is as it seems with Morgana, then maybe that is what it is; maybe she has been innocent this whole time and her actions were not by her own choice. But while you should have hope, do not set all your hopes on this being right."

"But if it is-"

"If it is we will deal with it when the time comes. But we cannot go forward assuming Morgana's possible innocence to be truth. Whether or not it is through her choice or not she still wages war against us, and we cannot stop fighting. Until there is solid proof that she is being controlled we _must_ continue as if her betrayal was real."

"I know. And I know it is a long shot that she is innocent. I sensed nothing two thousand years ago, no magical influence over her, and even Kilgharrah said she betrayed us of her own free will. But if it _is_ true, if she is innocent…"

"Then we will fix it. We will release her from whatever power controls her, and welcome her home." Merlin stood and pulled Mithian into his arms, giving her a kiss.

"Thank you. Thank you for listening and not telling me I'm crazy for having hope. I won't tell Arthur or Gwen." He added. "It would only distract them and knowing Arthur he would place more hope on this than would be good and he would be devastated if it proved not to be true. Gwen would react more like you and I, but she wouldn't be able to keep this from Arthur."

"Good idea. Now let us not keep everyone waiting any longer. We have a picnic to get to."

"You're just excited that we're holding it at Nemeth."

"But of course!" Although she called Camelot home, Mithian's former kingdom still stood, at least some of it did, and she was eager to share Nemeth with her modern day parents. George, Sefa, two other servants and Nan accompanied them, though Nan sat on a cushioned chair and did no work at Gwen's insistence. Only the parents found it off to have such a picnic and be waited on hand and foot, while the others were perfectly at ease, though it helped that they held the picnic as their past selves. As the final battle with Morgana drew closer their past selves were stronger and more present inside them than their modern day selves so they often stayed as the king, queen, knights and members of the court that they once were.

"You do not find this at all out of place?" Anna asked her son as George helped her plump her pillows, having rushed over upon seeing her trying to adjust them herself.

"No." Arthur responded easily, popping a strawberry into his mouth. "George is a servant. It's what he does."

"And that is all he is to you?" Arthur knew that voice well; his mother disapproved. "He is a living being Ari-Arthur." It had taken awhile for them to call their children by their past names and often still messed up. "And this is no longer two thousand years ago where all a person is is a servant."

"I know that." He defended. "But whether or not it is no longer two thousand years ago, the fact remains that at least half of us, if not more at the moment, are from two thousand years ago."

"Don't remind us." His father, Alex, mumbled even while happily taking his granddaughter into his arms.

"If I may, Sire?" George spoke up.

"Of course." Arthur replied, intrigued by what the prim, proper George would say.

"My Lord, My Lady," He addressed Arthur's parents, refusing to address the parents of his king any other way. "King Arthur is correct that with our past selves so strong within us we do revert back quite easily to the way we once were, with My Lord The High King of all Britain and I but a manservant. However, you should know that there is no master kinder or more worthy of my service." Arthur's eyebrows shot up having never heard any words so flowery out of George's mouth before. "Their Majesties were always quite different than other monarchs of the time in that they did not place so high an importance on a person's station or title, nor did they make arbitrary decisions or serve only their interests simply because they are royalty. We now see that they were quite modern in that regard. Their Majesties are very kind and generous and I am very honoured to serve them, even in this day and age."

"We all are so honoured." Sefa said, having heard the whole thing. "Please do not be hard on Their Majesties. They work very hard to ensure the kingdom is safe and happy and they ask for mere trifles in return."

"Besides, if any of them were upset or dislike what was asked of them they'd let Arthur and Gwen know in their own subtle way." Merlin added.

"Or in the case of His Excellency, very blunt and directly." Sefa admonished with a slight disapproving frown. She had served far too long alongside Merlin to have allowed his new status as Court Mage to have build too big a gap between them and would often admonish him as freely as she once had.

"Yeah he's too much of a dollophead for any form of subtlety."

"Not that you were capable of subtlety, Merlin." Arthur was quick to retort.

"I hid my magic from Uther didn't I?"

"Only because you were so genuinely stupid and pigheaded that father couldn't believe a sorcerer could be such an idiot."

"Oh please, who-"

"Enough Merlin." Hunith said cutting off their bickering before they could really work themselves up.

"You too." Gwen added to her husband and both men hung their heads in acceptance.

"Papa and uncle Merlin funny." Eleanor said.

"If the two of you corrupt my daughter at such a young age you will regret it, do you understand?"

"Yes sweetheart."

"Yes Gwen." They replied in unison.

"Percy fly!" The little girl then cried, seeing that the entertainment was over. The First Knight acquiesced and caught his Princess mid air as she launched herself at him, then proceeding to throw her in the air and catch her before placing her on his shoulders and running off.

"He needs to find himself a boyfriend." Arthur commented openly. Percival no longer needed, nor wanted, to hide who he was in this time and so they were all quite open about his sexual orientation.

"You mean he needs to have his own children." Merlin countered.

"He'll do so in his own time when he's ready." Mithian said.

"Besides, I swear he already does have a boyfriend." Gwen added under her breath. No more was said on the subject, however, as mere speculation, while entertaining, was pointless. There were also two little boys trying to sneak off into the woods, thinking they had outsmarted their parents, that was demanding attention.

"William Merlin Elyan Leon Percival Pendragon…" Gwen growled warningly, causing her son and his companion to stop mid-step; the use of his full name, long as it was, a sure sign that his mother was not to be tested. "If you take one more step into those woods you will be spending the remainder of your childhood with an escort who's sole duty is to stop your fun. Am I clear?"

"Yes mama." He tried not of whine.

"We sure that's not a good idea anyways?" Vanora joined in, raising an eyebrow at her own son.

"You wouldn't!" Roy gasped.

"I would never dream about going against Her Majesty if she thought it a good idea." She responded, laying it on quite thick, both mothers having always joined forces to curb their sons' mischief.

"Now, Vanora, boys will be boys." Bors defended his son, remembering his own mischief as a child. Vanora turned her attention to her husband and he quickly regretted intervening, while Arthur was trying his hardest not to laugh, having purposefully not gotten involved.

"Don't even get me started on you." Vanora snapped and Bors wisely backed down. The other Knights had naturally heard the entire encounter and could not help but comment, only one of them though doing so seriously.

"I'd say we're lucky, that girls are easy, but I fear we haven't even scratched the surface yet." Leon commented, looking at his sleeping daughter.

"Damn right." Bors growled. "Babes are easy compared to when they grow. At least with boys you know what they're thinking, but girls?" He shuddered. "Having near grown ones is the worst I don't mind telling you. You live each day in fear that they'll come home saying they met a boy. At least most boys have a healthy fear of me, what with being a knight and having the ear of The King."

"I'd say that would be even more dangerous though, don't you think?" Lancelot spoke up with a smirk. "If boys are too scared to properly court your daughters then they'll start sneaking around. Isn't that how you and Vanora ended up forced to wed?"

"Forced?" Bors' mother, Bianca, asked, sounding quite surprised. If it was possible Lancelot's smirk grew even bigger.

"So he hasn't told you that story."

"It wasn't one they needed to know" Bors growled, his dark look promising revenge the next time they met on the training field.

"Bors and I forced my father's hand." Vanora said. "He was a stubborn mule and refused to accept Bors' suit."

"But he's a knight with the ear of The King." His father, Bernard, was confused. "Wouldn't that be considered a good match?"

"If he had been a knight at the time, yes. However, we were married during King Uther's reign, when knights were only of the nobility and Bors was naught but the village blacksmiths' son."

"Oh." While they had not tried to hide anything about their past lives from their parents they had also not shared more than the basic tales. The little details were either deemed unimportant or too awkward to share with their modern selves' parents.

"I got Vanora pregnant." Bors admitted. "Her father demanded I do the honourable thing and marry his daughter. I was only too happy to comply." He laughed at the memory of his father-in-law pounding at his door demanding marriage for his daughter and expecting a fight only to be met with none. "I think he was quite shocked by how fast we found a priest and were married."

"And just think, the same could happen with your daughters if men are too scared to court them properly." Lancelot brought the conversation back to teasing his friend. Bors head snapped in the direction of his children, specifically to his eldest daughters, with a panicked look on his face.

"Anna! Meg!" He called.

"Yes, papa?" Anna asked, looking up from the card game she was playing with her sister and two oldest brothers.

"You're to be courted properly, you hear me? I don't care how scared they are of me, if there's a boy you like you bring him home proper, no sneaking around. I promise to be nice." He added quietly though his words were still heard. Fifteen-year-old Anna squealed and rushed to her father, giving him a big hug.

"Oh thank you, papa, thank you!"

"You're welcome?" Bors questioned as he wrapped his arms around his eldest daughter. When she released him Anna then went over and hugged Lancelot as well.

"Thank you, Lancelot!" She said with a kiss to his cheek.

"I told you it wouldn't be hard, darling. A little fear himself is all he needed."

"Now hold on a moment." Bors was quite confused now, though Vanora's mirth filled eyes told him she knew exactly what had just happened. "What the bloody hell is going on here?"

"It's quite simple really. Anna asked for my help in getting you to be nice to any boy she brought home." Lancelot explained.

"And you've given your word, so you can't go back on it or I'll never believe anything you say ever again." Anna quickly added.

"Wait but…does this mean there's a boy you like?" He was scared of the answer. Anna blushed and nodded, confirming his worst fears.

"Why didn't you just tell me?" Anna shot him a look, the same one her mother sent when annoyed with him.

"Oh please. You're more protective of Meg and I than Sir Percival and The King combined are of Princess Eleanor!" She said. "I asked mama for help but every time she brought it up you'd grumble about sharpening your sword and drop the subject. I had to take drastic action if we were ever to be able to go out on a proper date."

"A _proper_ date? Have you been sneaking around with this boy?!"

"Not really, and certainly not like _that_. But we have spent some time together. We met shortly before Camelot fell and found each other again in this time. We realised we still liked each other and so I started planning how to be able to see him without you killing him."

"Who is he?" Bors demanded.

"Remembering your promise and knowing that I'll never forgive you if you harm him or scare him off…" Anna stressed, looking every inch her mother's daughter with the hands on her hips and narrowed eyes. "His name's Arnold."

"The butcher's boy?" Anna nodded.

"He's too old for you."

"He's seventeen, papa, only two years older than I."

"As I said, too old."

"Well tough!" Her father's continued stubbornness having finally worn down her patience. "You're going to have to accept it and give him a chance or we'll force the issue as you did with grandpapa!" Shooting him a dirty look she stalked back over to her siblings and resumed the game, leaving her father speechless.

"Is this what it's going to be like when Eleanor grows up?" Arthur asked fearfully, everyone having watched the drama unfold with both amusement and awe.

"It better not be." Gwen muttered. "Do learn from Bors' mistakes and don't make them yourself." Silence greeted that statement as the current line of discussion was exhausted and the parents were clearly in shock. Out of respect for their parents, those that had been reincarnated had spent as much time as possible as their present day children rather than their past selves when around their parents. That time had been diminishing as the battle with Morgana drew closer and their past selves became stronger within them. However, this was really the first time that the parents got to see how their children's past selves were when all together for any length of time; they had not before experienced the antics the Knights could get up to together. Any pondering on the subject, however, was thankfully cut off as their group was interrupted by a newcomer.

"Frank!" Mithian cried happily, getting up to greet her friend. After their first trip to Nemeth's ruins where they first met the historian/caretaker Merlin and Mithian had returned several times, each time being met by Frank who had an endless number of questions for them, though Mithian especially. The former Princess of Nemeth had found that talking about her past home and people did not, in fact, hurt as she thought it might, but rather was quite pleasant. As a result, the two had struck up a friendship, and quite enjoyed their talks.

"I thought I heard voices." He said, greeting Mithian with a kiss to the hand, having adopted the ancient custom with her, much to Mithian's amusement. "Though I didn't think there'd be so many."

"Frank." Merlin too greeted the man with a smile and handshake. "Allow me to introduce to you King Arthur and Queen Guinevere, as well as The Knights of the Round Table, and their court." The two in question had risen alongside their court to greet their guest and both smiled softly as his eyes widened in shock.

" _The_ King Arthur and Queen Guinevere?"

"Yes." Mithian laughed. "Don't be so surprised. We have spoken of them often enough."

"I know, I just…didn't think I'd ever actually get to meet them."

"The pleasure is our, sir." Gwen said. "Mithian speaks very highly of you, and your care for Nemeth."

"High praise indeed." He mumbled with a slight blush.

"Come, this is the perfect time to give my parents a tour." Mithian said, linking her arm through Frank's. "These are my modern day parents, by the way, Mark and Mary." Mithian, closely followed by Merlin, led Frank and the two parents off; Mithian correctly reading that Frank needed time to process meeting more legendary figures, and knowing that getting him to speak about Nemeth would be the fastest way to do so. With them gone, everyone resumed their picnic and spent nearly an hour in peace before a piercing scream destroyed it. Arthur and his Knights were on their feet before the scream had even finished, their swords drawn, Excalibur flashing to life.

"Percival, Gwaine, Bors, remain here, the rest of you with me!" Arthur ordered as he took off with six knights following after him. The three that remained ushered their families together and formed a perimeter around them as best they could, ready for an attack from all sides.

"We have to help them!" Liam, one of Lancelot's fathers, started the protests, his husband, Luke, and the other parents quickly agreeing, none of them having liked seeing their children run off into apparent danger.

"You'd only get in the way." Gwaine said.

"They have a much better chance of making it back unharmed without any interference." Bors agreed.

"This is what we've done our whole lives. Please trust that they know what they're doing." Percival added, all three hoping to calm the parents and stop them from rushing off. Their words did nothing to calm anyone, though they considered it a victory when none of them chased after their children. Nearly fifteen minutes passed, though it felt like much longer, before they heard movement. The Knights turned to face it, having not let down their guard, though they quickly did so when they saw that it was their King and comrades returning, and not an enemy.

"Mithian!" Gwen cried, seeing her friend was quite distraught, her eyes a puffy red while tears flowed from them. Leaving her children in the capable hands of their grandparents now that it was clear that the danger was passed, she rushed to the other woman's side, wondering what could be the cause such distress, for it appeared that everyone was accounted for and unharmed. "What happened?"

"M-my father." She gasped out, her hands going to stifle her sobs once more. Seeing that Mark was there, Gwen could only surmise that she was referring to King Rodor, and looked to Merlin for confirmation.

"His tomb had been desecrated." He mumbled as he held his wife.

"What? By whom? Vandals?" Merlin shook his head.

"There was no graffiti or other signs common of simple vandals, and his crown and jewels were still there so I'd rule out a tomb robber."

"His crown?" Gwen's eyes widened. "You mean you saw…?"

"His remains were there for all to see." His voice was now a low growl, clearly angered by what had happened.

"That's what the scream was." Arthur picked up the tale. "They went down to see Rodor's tomb, so Mithian could introduce her father to her modern day parents. And they found that."

"But his wasn't the only one." Leon added. "Several of the tombs were broken in to, though none as badly as King Rodor's. Nothing was missing, however, from any of them. Except for one."

"Wouldn't call that one a tomb though." Said Tristan. "It was a simple wooden box left unceremoniously on the floor, covered by some fallen debris."

"And what was missing from it?" Gaius asked, he and the others having come over to hear what had happened.

"The body." Arthur confirmed.

"Someone stole an ancient dead body?" Gemma, Galahad's mother, asked confused. "I understand that ancient remains can be priceless, I mean look at the pharaohs of Egypt, but to take that one, in an unmarked coffin, and leave all the others with their riches untouched? What's so important about this body?"

"We don't know. We don't know who it was, or when the coffin was placed in the crypts, though it's clearly not meant to be there in the royal crypts of all places." Merlin shot Gaius a meaningful look. "But there were traces of dark magic."

"New?" The Court Physician asked.

"Not very." Merlin shook his head. "A week old, maybe."

"You think it's a wraith?" Percival asked, catching on to their meaning. "Like what happened with Tristan de Bois?" Those who had been in Camelot when Uther was still alive shuddered at the memory of Arthur's uncle coming back to life by dark magic, and the battle he had almost fought against the wraith were it not for his father taking his place. Not much could kill something that was already dead and so Merlin had bargained with Kilgharrah for a sword forged in a dragon's breath, though at the time his actions were only known to Arthur, Gwen, Hunith and Gaius. He had sworn that only Arthur, The Once and Future King, would wield the sword, though it had been Uther in the end who had slain the wraith. Kilgharrah's rage at that man wielding the sword forged in his breath had been great, regardless of the fact that it had not been Merlin's fault. Out of guilt, Merlin had given the sword to The Lady of the Lake for safekeeping so that it may never fall into the wrong hands again; though he was convinced that the sword now resided in the right hands, Excalibur having been enchanted from that sword originally meant for Arthur, though he had no proof.

"I think it's a strong possibility." Merlin said, while Leon quietly informed those not in the know about the story of Tristan de Bois.

"But what unfinished business could whoever it was have?" Gwen asked, remembering Gaius' teachings about wraiths. "If Merlin's right it's been almost a week since he, or she, was reanimated. There's only one person we know of who has enough power to conjure to wraith. Morgana is not one to wait, surely if she had conjured a wraith she'd have set it on its revenge already."

"Unless one wraith is not all she's conjuring." Gaius suggested. His implication was clear, though none wanted to think on it, and so they merely waited for him to elaborate. "With Merlin's wards in place around the world she needs something to counter them. A regular army will do no good, but an army of the undead? There is only one known way to kill something that is already dead; nothing else save an immortal blade is powerful enough to stop it. Perhaps not even Merlin's wards."

"I haven't felt that much dark magic gathering though." Merlin reasoned, grasping at straws that Gaius' hypothesis wasn't true. "Conjuring one wraith I'd need to be near it, or near the site of the reanimation to sense it, but an entire army would reek of dark magic."

"You've missed dark magic before." Arthur murmured with no trace of condescension in his voice, he was merely stating fact.

"Even if Morgana has found a way to mask her use of dark magic, don't wraiths need to have some unfinished business to be reanimated?" Leon asked, one of the few who had seen a wraith before, and had learned all they could about them at the time. "To suit Morgana's purposes she'd have to find an army's worth of people whose unfinished business is fighting this infernal war that just won't end." Merlin groaned and his eyes widened.

"Bugger…"

"What is it?" His wife asked, having finally calmed down when she realized how serious the discussion had turned.

"The Saxons."

"Aren't the Saxons gone though?" Gwen's father, Gareth, asked hesitantly.

"Exactly." Was Merlin's simple reply. "There were thousands of Saxons that attacked Camelot the day it fell. Thousands of Saxons that died alongside us…without the war having truly come to an end."

"You think she's resurrecting the Saxons." It wasn't a question.

"What happened to their bodies, Merlin?" Arthur then asked. Merlin shook his head.

"I don't know. I was…inconsolable when I saw you had all died. I gave you lot, and Camelot's citizens, a proper burial, but I simply banished the Saxons bodies to I know not where."

"Can you find out?" Galahad asked. "That information would be really useful right about now. If their bodies are still there, then Gaius' theory is probably wrong. But if not…"

"Then we most likely have an army of the undead, who can probably circumvent Merlin's wards, coming after us…and only one weapon that can defeat them." Arthur finished, his hand going to Excalibur's hilt as he looked down on the only immortal blade in existence.

* * *

 **A/N - And we arrive at the beginning of the final battle, with a clear indication of who will be fighting it for Morgana. Only about three chapters left if I stick to my plan!**

 **Also for those who are a bit confused by all the people in this chapter (even though some never spoke) or just simply curious, they are as follows:**

 **Parents:  
Arthur - Alex & Anna  
Gwen - Gareth & Gabriella  
Mithian - Mark & Mary  
Galahad - Gary & Gemma  
Gwaine - Greg & Gail  
Leon - Lloyd & Leila  
Percival - Pablo & Penelope  
Logan - Luke & Liam  
Tristan - Ted & Tiffany  
Bors - Bernard & Bianca  
Dagonet - Gwayne & Diane**

 **Children:  
Arthur & Gwen:  
\- Willian (5)  
\- Eleanor (3)**

 **Bors & Vanora  
\- Gilly (17)  
\- Anna (15)  
\- James (14)  
\- Meg (12)  
\- Charlie (10)  
\- Marcus (9)  
\- Anthony (7)  
\- Roy (6)  
\- Alyce (5)  
**

 **Leon & Elena  
\- Sara (2)**

 **Dagonet & Alaria  
\- Lucan (12)  
\- Nancy (4)**

 **Tristan & Mary  
\- Alastair (3)  
\- Ewan (1)**


	26. The Wicked Day

_Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.  
_

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 **Chapter 26 – The Wicked Day**

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With their picnic thoroughly ruined, the decision to return to Camelot wasn't a hard one. Once there Merlin disappeared almost immediately to discover what he had done with the Saxons' bodies, and if they were still there. The wait for him to return was excruciatingly long, and those councillors, courtiers and servants who had not been at the picnic had no idea what had their King and his family so subdued. When night fell and Merlin still had not returned everyone attempted to go about their usual routine. Those who did not live inside the castle returned to their homes, save their parents who would not leave until this was sorted, while those with young children put them to bed before seeking their own. The following morning nothing had changed and breakfast in the great hall was quiet. Arthur distracted himself with ensuring Eleanor got most of her food into her mouth rather than all over herself, while Gwen tried to coax Mithian into eating something. The former princess had deep circles under her eyes, no doubt having slept poorly, if at all, with Merlin's absence, and showed no interest in the food before her. Gwen had managed to coax a bit of bread and cheese into her friend by the time Merlin returned.

"George! Bring me my mobile then summon the council. We meet in one hour." Arthur ordered after taking one look at Merlin's face; whatever he had discovered it was not good. George once again proved his efficiency when less than five minutes later he returned with the requested phone and informed his King that the council was preparing to meet. Alaria and Nan came to take the children to the nursery while Arthur made his call. Nodding to Merlin when he was finished, the warlock disappeared once more, though returned within a half hour with several guests.

"Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness." Arthur and Gwen greeted Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. "Prime Minister, My Lords." They then greeted the others, David Cameron, several MPs and high-ranking military officers, whom they'd dealt with on several occasions in the last weeks. "Thank you all for coming on such short notice." He kept the greeting simple, for aside from the two royals this was the first time in Camelot for them and both the Prime Minister and MPs were looking around quite in awe.

"It sounded quite urgent." Queen Elizabeth said.

"I'm afraid it is. The council is gathering and we would very much appreciate your presence."

"We are happy to help." The Prime Minister said, the shock of being in the legendary castle having warn off. Although he had not known them long, David Cameron knew one thing about these past royals for certain, and that was that Britain's wellbeing was of the utmost importance to them. This common ground between them provided enough of a foundation for the current government to work with them when needed.

"George-" Arthur cut off, seeing his manservant standing just off to the side. "Would you inform the council that they are out of time? We meet now."

"Already done, Sire." He replied. "They await you in the throne room. I also took the liberty of arranging seating for your family. While not protocol to have an audience, I thought it appropriate in this case. I do hope I have not overstepped."

"N-no, not at all." Arthur said after a moment, George having read his mind. "Thank you." George nodded and backed away, disappearing into the shadows until needed. "God bless George." He then muttered as he took Gwen's hand and led the way to the throne room. The guards opened the doors upon their arrival and the scraping of chairs was heard as all stood at their entrance. Arthur led Gwen to their seats while Leon and Percival welcomed their guests to the open seats between them. All then turned to Camelot's King to start the meeting.

"I call this meeting of The Round Table to order." Arthur started the same way he always had. "As many of you are aware, we discovered the possibility of a wraith having been created yesterday. For those unaware of what a wraith is, it is essentially a re-animated corpse, similar to a zombie. The difference being that a wraith is not mindless nor stupid, and they are hell bent on completing some unfinished business, which is usually murder or massacre. They also don't eat brains." He added as an after thought. "When we realized one had probably been created, by Morgana as I'm certain you can surmise, Gaius worried that she was creating an army of wraiths to counter Merlin's wards. Wraiths are extremely magical creatures and are tremendously hard to kill or even stop; we are not sure if Merlin's wards will be enough. Knowing that to suit her needs Morgana would need to re-animate the bodies of those who had unfinished business with us, and with Camelot, we thought of the Saxon army that had seen to Camelot's downfall two thousand years ago but died in the process. Last night Merlin went in search of their bodies and to discover the truth." With a nod in the warlock's direction, Arthur sat down and gave the floor to Merlin.

"They're gone." He said simply. "I was able to find where their bodies should have been, apparently I sent to them what used to be Saxon territory in the Scottish highlands, but was met with a lot of upturned earth. The place reeked of dark magic. Morgana was attempting to shield her use of magic, and succeeded for the most part, but it's near impossible to hide that much dark magic when you're standing right where it was performed. It is as we feared. She has an army of wraiths at her command."

"And you are certain they are at her command?" Dagonet asked. "From the few books we scoured last night we learned that wraiths have one purpose and one purpose only: to fulfill their unfinished business. The tales say there is nothing that can sway them from their path."

"True. But as Arthur said, wraiths are not mindless. They also possess the memories of when they were alive. The Saxon army was at Morgana's command two thousand years ago. They will know her and know that their best bet of succeeding in their goal is to follow her now."

"Spectacular." Lancelot muttered sarcastically.

"So how do we defeat them?" One of the guest officers asked.

"Unfortunately you don't." Arthur replied. "We asked you here because you had a right to know what is coming, and also to give you fair warning so that you may have evacuation procedures in place if necessary. However, regrettably there's nothing you can do to fight this war."

"Like hell we can't!" He growled. "We'll blow them to bits if necessary! A thousand guns trained on them should do the trick."

"But it won't." Leon argued back. "If you 'blow them to bits' they'll simply re-assemble themselves."

"Then we'll blow them to such tiny pieces they can't re-assemble themselves! I don't care what we have to do, but if you think we're going to let you have all the glory of protecting-"

"Glory?!" Arthur roared, jumping to his feet. While he could understand not wanting to sit the fight out, this had nothing to do with them wanting glory; they were exactly wrong words to say. "This has nothing to do with glory, and everything to do with saving lives! I understated when I said that wraiths were tremendously hard to kill. In fact there is only one known way to defeat them." Reaching for his sword, Arthur pulled it from its scabbard, the familiar flash of light glowing over the weapon. "Excalibur is the only immortal blade in existence; it is the only thing that can kill what is already dead. There is one sword that can take on this entire army, for nothing you could do would work, they will simply keep coming. This has nothing to do with _glory_." To those who knew him Arthur's anger was understandable. He had spent this whole life fighting for what was right, for the betterment of his people, had even been prepared to give up his kingship for it, had The High King been revealed to be another. Two thousand years later here he stood, ready to fight once more to protect people and this officer, a general, said that they were trying to keep the British military out of the fight so that they could claim all the glory should they succeed. Had a man insulted The King so two thousand years ago, hell even as little as a few hundred years ago, there would have been rather severe consequences, the least of which would be Arthur calling the man out for besmirching his honour. Of course, it was no longer the past and this man was not one of Arthur's subjects; his restraint though was still obvious. "Merlin!" He barked, his Court Mage making a show of listening intently. "Arrange a meeting with The Great Dragon and The Lady of the Lake. Council is adjourned!" With a kiss to Gwen's cheek and a bow to Queen Elizabeth, Arthur stormed from the chamber, Merlin following at his heels. Although the meeting had been declared over, far earlier than any expected, they had thought they'd be here late discussing tactics and formulating a plan, no one else moved, save to send angry and annoyed glares on the general.

"You may choose to not believe my words, I honestly care not if you do." Gwen said, giving him the full force of her most royal and disapproving stare. "But know that there is none more honourable than my husband. He has fought for his people since gaining knighthood as a teenager, and was prepared to _give up his place as king_ if it meant the people of Britain would be safe and live in peace. There is not another monarch in history for which the same can be said about, and we take it as a great insult that you believe our intentions in having you sit this battle out are because we seek glory. You have no idea what you would face, it would be naught but a slaughter, and it is from that which we are trying to spare you." Gwen stood, preparing to depart, and those from the past stood alongside her. "I will not banish you from my home, regardless of my personal feelings your experience may yet prove of use to us. Hunith, our Head Housekeeper, will find a suitable servant to see to your needs." Hunith nodded at the directive sent her way, knowing that what Gwen really meant was that she would have to find someone who would not take it out on the General of insulting The King; the people of Camelot were incredibly loyal after all. "Gaius, learn everything you can about wraiths. Hopefully when we reconvene we might know our enemy a bit better. Sir Leon, see that he has unimpeded access to the vaults should he need it. " Gaius and Leon too nodded their acceptance and Gwen then turned to Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, her entire demeanour becoming much more warm and welcoming. "Your Majesty, Your Highness, you expressed interest in seeing the lower town on your last visit. I would be most happy to take you on a tour. The Prime Minister and his associates may accompany us, if they would like." A glance to the General told him that he was not welcome, though Gwen would never be such a poor hostess as to openly say as much.

"That would be quite lovely." The Queen responded.

"But first we stop by the nursery. William and Eleanor, especially Eleanor, would never forgive me if they knew you were here and did not get the chance to see you." Gwen said with a smile, genially looping an arm through Queen Elizabeth's and bringing the formality way down; the usual rule of not touching The Queen of England not applying when you yourself were one, or at least Gwen did not care about that rule.

"The Princess will be most excited to see 'Gan-Gan.'" Percival quipped as he fell into step behind them, clearly intending to be their escort.

"Sir Percival, I hardly think that appropriate." Gwen chastised the Knight.

"They are not my words, Your Grace, but Princess Eleanor's." He defended. "It is, after all, what her idol calls The Queen." Gwen could not deny that. Since their first meeting Eleanor had idolized Prince George, who had taken no small liking to her either. The two youngsters had practically demanded to see each other and so play dates had become quite common, both at Camelot and Kensington Palace. The instant friendship between the two had both surprised and amazed their parents, though none found any harm in it, save the ribbing they took from the Knights; such a close bond in the past would have been grounds for a betrothal, and certain Knights of the Round Table would not let them forget it.

 **oo00oo00oo**

Merlin and Arthur returned from their meeting with The Lady and Aithusa later that day and reconvened the council. They reported that neither had much more insight into how to defeat the wraiths. The Lady said there were two other ways she could think of to stop the army. The first was to ensure that their unfinished business was complete, for then the wraith's purpose would be gone and they would disappear. Given it was the Saxon army, however, she did not think this a real possibility for it was quite probable that their unfinished business was seeing to the end of Camelot once and for all, which was not an option. The other way The Lady knew of was to kill Morgana. As the one who had performed the ritual to re-animate the wraiths Morgana could stop them, she could pull her magic back, turning them back into regular corpses. Of course, there was little doubt in anyone's mind that Morgana would never willingly do so, and so the only option was to cut off the magic at the source. This seemed like the best option, especially as killing Morgana was something they had fully anticipated doing. The question remained though, how they would get through the Saxon army to reach Morgana. Normally Merlin could battle her directly, but even his magic would not be very strong against wraiths and Morgana would know that, she would keep some by her side to fight Merlin should he bypass the rest of the army. Although it looked bleak, Aithusa gave them two more glimmers of hope. The Great Dragon had conceded the need for more immortal blades given the army they would face and had agreed to forge two in her breath under the conditions that they were used only by Camelot's First Knights, and upon the completion of the battle were handed over to The Lady for safekeeping. Upon hearing that only two more of the only weapons that could defeat the wraiths would be created, complaints rose from the military officers only to be thoroughly rebuked. Immortal blades were incredibly powerful and in the wrong hands could be very dangerous. Forging so many such blades would only run the risk of one getting lost or stolen without anyone being the wiser. Regardless of the fact that Aithusa trusted the other Knights of the Round Table she would not even forge enough swords for them all, deeming the risk too great, especially if a wraith or Morgana got their hands on one of them. By limiting the immortal blades she'd forge to those for the First Knights, Aithusa knew that they'd be in the hands of the most trustworthy knights and most skilled combatants Camelot had.

With no other possible plan of action given the near indestructibility of the wraiths it was decided that training the army to evade and decapitate would be the best course of action. While none save Arthur, Leon and Percival would actually be able to kill one of the wraiths, the others could put them out of the battle for a time. Upon hearing this, the military officers once again raised their voices in protest that they be kept out of the fighting, this time with a somewhat reasonable argument. As Camelot's army would not have any special weapons they argued that their soldiers could be just as useful. Arthur, who still did not want to put any modern person in danger given this was not their fight, argued back saying that guns would only put his men in danger as this battle would be fought in close quarters and that as the army no longer fought with swords, they would then only become a liability. The General conceded that the army as a whole no longer fought with swords but that did not mean that many soldiers were not proficient with other weapons, some of them even quite proficient with swords. Knowing the danger he was putting his men in Arthur could not deny that the extra help would be welcome. Still he was hesitant, and so a compromise was agreed upon. The General would send however many men he wanted to be tested and trained in Camelot. If, and only if, Arthur deemed them sufficiently trained enough to combat the wraiths would they then be allowed in battle. Knowing he was going to get nothing better, and also not wanting to send men to slaughter simply to get them into the fight, the General agreed and the meeting came to an end.

Less than a week later nearly seven hundred men arrived at Camelot's borders, sent by the General. With nowhere else to house them, Merlin erected an encampment in the field surrounding Camelot, complete with running water, though electricity still eluded them. The Knights of the Round Table each took a chunk of the army and assessed their skills, only those who they deemed skilled enough were brought to The King for a final decision. In the end, Arthur conceded that the General had had a point and had only sent home a few dozen, all of whom relied too heavily on hand to hand combat rather than weaponry which would only get them so far with a wraith swinging a broadsword at them with enough force to cut them in half. Camelot's army welcomed their new comrades with open arms, some even came to stay in the encampment with them, though they could not offer the modern soldiers places in Camelot's barracks; regardless that this army was on their side, they would not invite strangers into the heart of Camelot. Training continued for several more days before the battle was finally upon them. Merlin ran in to the great hall during dinner one evening, informing them that Morgana was on the move.

"Whatever magic she was using to shield herself and the wraiths has lifted." He informed everyone present. "I can sense them now, they're marching south."

"Where?" Arthur asked.

"Towards Badon Hill." Arthur nodded, not terribly surprised.

"How long till they get there?"

"They're still quite far north. If they march through the night, which I suspect they will as they're the undead and don't exactly need sleep, they'll arrive mid morning."

"And those in their path?" Gwaine asked. "Will they be leaving a trail of dead bodies in their wake?"

"I don't think so." Merlin said. "Morgana wants to rule the land, she can hardly do that if there's no one left to rule over. We're her target, the bombing before held a purpose, but senseless killing while on her way to meet us does not."

"Very well then." Arthur muttered. "Ready the army." He instructed Leon and Percival. "We leave at dawn."

 **oo00oo00oo**

As dawn arrived Gwen stood alongside their family and the court to bid farewell to Arthur and his men. The children were still abed, Arthur having said goodbye to them in the nursery when they were only half awake, not wanting to face their tears, though he was still faced with his wife's.

"Go with God." She murmured as they said their private goodbye, hands clasped before them and heads bowed, their foreheads touching. "May The Triple Goddess also protect you, and any other deity who will hear my prayer. Come back to us, Arthur, I beg of you. We cannot lose you. Not after all this time, when we finally have a chance to live in peace."

"I will do all I can to ensure that we all return safely." It was the best promise she was going to get. With a final kiss, Arthur turned and mounted his horse. Gwen looked out over The Knights who waited for their King, the rest of the army awaiting them outside the gates.

"Come back alive, all of you." She found herself saying, drawing everyone's attention. "I know you will do your duty to Camelot and to Britain…but you have already done so. You gave your lives for Britain, your oaths as knights is fulfilled. I know there is naught I can say that will stop you from going, but please forget the supposed glory of dying in battle; there are no bards in this day and age to immortalize you in song. Don't do anything stupid, don't be a hero simply for the sake of being a hero. Come home alive and well." No matter how unqueenly it was to beg, that was indeed what Gwen was doing and she felt no shame in it.

"Your heard The Queen!" Sir Leon shouted as he unsheathed his sword and held it up in salute to her. "For Her Majesty, we return alive!" The other Knights and Arthur all raised their swords.

"And for the love of Camelot, we defeat her enemies!"

"For the love of Camelot!" The cry went up and continued to be shouted as they rode out of the courtyard, eventually being taken up by the soldiers who awaited them outside the gates, the dull roar of all those voices being heard over the walls and throughout the town.

"They will return to us." Mithian said with more certainty than she actually felt as she came up beside Gwen, who had yet to move from the steps.

"But will they return to us alive or dead?" She murmured back.

" _Alive._ Merlin will not let them die. Not again."

"You can't know that."

"I do know that." The more she spoke the more she realized that what she said was true. "I know because Merlin would not survive Arthur dying again. And yet he has to, for as The Immortal Mage he has little choice. As such, Arthur will return alive if for no other reason than Merlin's selfishness." Gwen smiled softly and turned to her friend, grasping her hand.

"Thank you. Regardless of Merlin's immortality I know you worry as much as I and yet you offer comfort where I can offer none."

"We all have our own capabilities in times such as these. And I do not deny that knowing Merlin cannot die does offer a measure of comfort." The two women made their way back inside the castle and headed towards the nursery, knowing the children would likely be awake now. Gwen saw to her children's morning routine before leaving them in the care of Alaria and Nan. Her children were blissfully unaware that their father had gone off to war and may not return and until she knew for certain whether he lived or died she wanted to keep it that way. Knowing that she would not be able to hide her worry for too much longer and not wanting her children to pick up on it, Gwen knew that leaving her children in the care of their nurse was the best option. When they were suitably distracted both Gwen and Mithian made their escape and wound their way to the throne room, which was far from empty. Their family had gathered there and were either openly worrying or attempting, and failing, at distracting themselves. Gwen went to the dais and sat on her throne, wanting a moment alone and knowing that it was unlikely she would be disturbed there, regardless of the fact that the room was full of people. Gwen didn't know how long she sat there but she remained in her own thoughts until a commotion was heard outside. Fearing the worst, that Morgana had fooled them all and that the army of wraiths was at their gates, Gwen led the charge outside; heedless of the cries of the few guards that remained that she let them go first. They needn't have worried though, for the commotion was made not by an invading army, but by the arrival of a group of friends, a rather large group in fact.

"Look who we found passing by our house!" Vanora cried, gesturing to their guests as she and her children led them through the courtyard.

"Queen Elizabeth." Gwen murmured, feeling quite confused, though she still made her way down the castle steps to greet them properly. "You are of course welcome, but what are you doing here? And with your whole family?" This surprised her more than anything else, for indeed all four of The Queen's children, along with their children and her great-grandchildren were there.

"The battle taking place will decide the future of Britain. One British monarch is on the front lines, and while I cannot join King Arthur there, I can offer support here." She responded, acknowledging for the first time that Arthur was still a British monarch. "I can wait for news of the battle here or at Buckingham, but here I publically offer my support and present a united front with King Arthur as he fights for both our people. I did, however, want my family close." The last bit was said lowly, for Gwen's ears alone and she could understand why. Just like she and Arthur were pillars of strength for their people, so too was Queen Elizabeth, and she needed to maintain that appearance. However, she was also a loving mother and grandmother and on a day like today, where either peace would be realized or, quite probably, they would see their deaths, she wanted her family with her for what could be their last day.

"I understand perfectly." Gwen replied, grasping The Queen's hand in a brief gesture of comfort. "And it means a great deal to both Arthur and I that you offer your support."

"Even if it was not the fate of my country being decided, you have proven yourselves over these last months and I believe you to be right in this." With but a smile and nod Gwen dropped that line of conversation, knowing nothing else need be said.

"Do come in. We are all gathered in the throne room." She addressed the crowd as a whole. "William, Roy and Eleanor are in the nursery." She also directed to Will and Kate who were hard pressed to keep up with George as he took off to see his friends, though they did lead their cousins Peter, Autumn, Zara and Mike along with their young children promising the nursery would be the best place for them; Vanora and Anna also followed, saying they would help with all the children so as not to overwhelm Alaria and Nan. The rest followed Gwen into the throne room where they were greeted with surprise that ranged to absolute shock; although they knew that their children had met the modern royals on more than one occasion, they themselves had never had that pleasure. For nearly two hours Gwen played the gracious hostess before her worry once again overtook her and she retreated to her throne once more, though this time she was not left alone.

"It must have been magnificent, to sit up here and essentially look out over your kingdom." It was The Princess Royal who had joined her.

"In a way it was, and still is. But it was also a great burden; we had the weight of the entire kingdom on our shoulders. Regardless of the opulence and splendour that surrounded us as king and queen, we were, and are, servants to our people." She had only met Princess Anne on one occasion out of the near dozen she had seen The Queen and Prince Philip over the last months, which of course did not include the play dates her children had with George and Charlotte.

"It sounds like much changed in the centuries following your reign." Gwen smiled humourlessly.

"Not really. Arthur and I always knew our reign would be different from his father's, but we did not realize how much of an anomaly we were until we were crowned and saw the way other monarchs ruled; how much greed, selfishness and self-importance other monarchs had. Though you are right that it wasn't quite as bad in our time as it became, Arthur and I were always different, even quite modern in many respects."

"He's leading the army into battle for one. Few kings in history have done so, believing their lives to be too important to risk." Gwen's smile turned genuine.

"Arthur always leads his men into battle. He would never ask them to do what he himself is unwilling. I have sent him off to war I know not how many times. Not knowing if he would return to me. Not knowing if our kingdom would not have an heir, or after William was born if he would become king before he could even walk. But it is harder now. We have lived, fought, and died already. Two thousand years have passed and yet we are still at war. Someone is still trying to tear our kingdom apart and will not allow for peace."

"This Morgana." It was more a statement then question, but still the question was there and Gwen could not blame her. They had only briefly discussed Morgana, only so much as to say that she had betrayed them and now sought to kill them once more.

"Morgana was our sister." Gwen found herself confiding in Princess Anne. "We grew up together. We laughed and played together, we fought together. When I found out I was pregnant Arthur and I could think of no one else to be the godmother. We thought we knew her so well…yet she still betrayed us."

"And you're certain she wasn't under some spell or some such thing?" Gwen shook her head.

"Merlin could sense no magic affecting her in anyway."

"Yet you knew her so well. How could she have you all fooled as she did?"

"Because we could not believe the worst of her. We could not, _would not_ , believe her capable of such treachery. She was captured by the Saxons and she changed whilst with them. Morgana was never fanciful or fleeting. She knew how the world was and what she wanted to do to make it a better place. She was practical, smart and highly logical, and very loyal. We all saw the change in her when she returned to us, but treason never entered our minds. What is worse, I think, is that her betrayal does not even make sense. She claims to be of Uther's blood, his unclaimed bastard, which is not surprising to us, but in her mind that makes her the rightful Queen of Camelot. Regardless of Arthur not only being older and male but also Uther's trueborn son. She believes that Arthur is no better than Uther, that her people, people with magic, still suffer under his reign and that only she can right the wrongs Uther, and then Arthur, committed."

"But didn't Arthur lift the ban on magic?"

"Yes. Whatever happened in the Saxon stronghold her sense left her, yet no magic was cast on her, nor is there any proof that she was tortured into insanity."

"And you're _certain_ that it's not magic making her this way?"

"Merlin-"

"I know you said that Merlin didn't sense magic, but isn't it possible he's wrong? Didn't he say that he couldn't even ward a camp, yet now he can ward the world?" Clearly Queen Elizabeth had shared what had gone on with her children. "I'm not saying he is wrong, merely that it is too much of a coincidence that someone you knew so well simply changed tunes after being in enemy hands."

"Why are you bringing this up? What could this possible help?" Gwen did not like this train of thought, if only because Arthur had gone to war to kill Morgana and the only way either of them were accepting that her death had to happen was because of their certainty that she was truly their enemy.

"I don't know." Anne shrugged. "But you seemed you needed to talk. Sometimes an outside opinion can help." Without another word Princess Anne left to re-join her family leaving Gwen to ponder their discussion, and the truth behind Morgana's betrayal.

* * *

 **A/N - I can now officially confirm that there are only 2 chapters left! I'm also just finishing up the final chapter so no more long waits, though still probably a week between updates.**


	27. The Drawing of Darkness

_Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.  
_

* * *

 **Chapter 27 – The Drawing of Darkness**

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Those crowded into the throne room grew anxious the more they waited. Several hours had passed and they knew that their army would have already engaged the wraiths in battle. Gwen had thought that sending her husband off to war was the worst; however, she'd forgotten about the endless waiting. Princess Anne wasn't the only modern royal whom Gwen had the pleasure of speaking with, once she left her throne she managed to speak with most of them, including Kate whom informed her that George had made a clay sculpture in school that he couldn't wait to show Eleanor on her next visit to Kensington. The discussion allowed her a distraction, but it did not last as long as she'd have liked.

"My Queen!" A voice called out drawing Gwen's attention.

"My Lady!" She returned, spotting The Lady of the Lake who had appeared off to the side of the room. "You are most welcome here, My Lady."

"Thank you. But I fear I will not be staying long. Nor will you."

"And where are we going?" Gwen asked, assuming she would be accompanying The Lady and not just leaving Camelot on her own.

"The battlefield." Gwen could not hide her shock. She had not once set foot on a battlefield and could think of nothing good coming of her doing so now.

"And what, exactly, am I supposed to do once there? I cannot wield a sword, I would be of no use in battle."

"I am afraid I do not have answers for you, My Queen." She admitted. "I was summoned by The Disir with word from The Triple Goddess. All I was told was that as The Once and Future Queen you needed to stand alongside your King for your destinies to be fulfilled. I apologize but I know no more than that save that I have been commanded to not interfere in the battle beyond protecting you from Morgana and her wraiths. Whatever must happen, the rest is up to you, King Arthur, and Emrys." Gwen thought on what The Lady had said and whether she would agree to it or not. Arthur would be furious, no doubt, as would The Knights of The Round Table and Merlin; she would not be surprised if each took it in turn to lecture her should they live through the war. Yet she trusted The Lady, and if The Triple Goddess said it was necessary she was inclined to believe her.

"Alright." She said finally. "Give me one moment." The Lady nodded and Gwen turned to the room at large, all who had been listening in.

"You don't have to do this." Mithian said, coming to her side along with her parents.

"I agree." Her father said. "In fact I forbid it." Gwen smiled softly at him.

"I am the reincarnated High Queen of Britain and we stand in Camelot, where regardless of it being two thousand years later, I still reign as Queen. You can forbid me nothing." Her father looked like he wanted to argue but thought better of it. Gwen gave her parents a quick hug before turning back to Mithian. "If the worst should happen, promise me you will care for my children."

"It won't be necssa-"

"Promise me!" Mithian looked her friend in the eyes and knew that Gwen would not budge until she swore that William and Eleanor would be cared for should she and Arthur not return.

"Alright." She nodded pulling Gwen into a hug. "I swear to care for them if necessary, _but it won't be necessary._ "

"Thank you." Gwen murmured before turning back to The Lady. "I am ready." As much as she would have liked to be able to see her children once more, she knew she would not be able to leave them if she did.

"But we aren't!" Her mother cried in tears. It had been hard for the parents who's sons had gone into battle, and they had seen them train and knew how capable they were; Gwen's parents thought she was committing suicide.

"You cannot stop me. My husband, my friends, my _kingdom_ needs me."

"But-"

"I'm sorry." Gwen knew how hard this was. Although it was her and not her children going into battle, she was still leaving them and knew she may never see them again.

"I'm afraid I must take The High Queen with me." The Lady said. "But I can allow you to see what is happening."

"You sure that wise?" Gwen shot at her, knowing, even if she had never seen one herself aside from in the movies, that a battle was not a pretty thing to watch.

"Yes!" The parents said as one; no matter what they witnessed they knew that not knowing and simply waiting for it to end would be worse.

"Very well, though I will caution you that a real battle is nothing like in the films of this time." When no one voiced any hesitation, The Lady waved her hand and made a crystal ball appear.

"Taking a leaf from Merlin?" Gwen murmured, though The Lady raised an eyebrow.

"More like the other way around. Where do you think Merlin got the idea for a crystal ball in the first place?" The ball sat in the middle of The Round Table and everyone gathered around as the battle began to play in front of them. With everyone distracted, Gwen shot her parents as reassuring a smile as she could before turning to The Lady who nodded and waved her hand, taking them to the battlefield. The Queen was entirely unprepared for the sight that greeted her; if she thought that the battles she had seen in films would be at all similar she was wrong. The sight and sound of dying men was overwhelming, worse than even the sight of the severed body parts of the wraiths that had to yet to re-assemble themselves for the dying men were her people. Unable to help herself, Gwen ran to the nearest man who was still visibly alive and dropped to her knees beside him.

"You're going to be alright." She said and thinking quickly she grabbed the bloody knife beside him and cut a strip off the hem of her gown before tying it around his wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding.

"My Queen?" The soldier sounded very confused. "How are you…? What are you…? You should not be here!" His voice rose as he realized that she wasn't a hallucination and he tried to sit up only for Gwen to push him back down.

"Don't move!"

"It's not safe here! What are you doing here?! I have to get you out!"

"You have to rest!"

"But-"

"No! I am Queen and I am ordering you to rest and stay alive! You have done all you can, and I am not without protection." She motioned to The Lady of the Lake who had not left her side and was in fact using her magic to keep any would be attackers away. The soldier relaxed a little recognizing The Lady and knowing of her power, but he still voiced his concerns.

"You should not be here."

"Perhaps. But I am, and I am not leaving until the destiny of The Once and Future King and Queen is fulfilled."

"The King will not be happy."

"No, I imagine he won't be." She laughed as she finished doing all she could for him. "What is your name?" Although she felt bad for not knowing the names of every man who fought in Camelot's army, there were thousands of them, and aside from a select few, she saw them very infrequently.

"Roland, Your Grace."

"Roland…" She murmured, offering him a smile. "Do what you must to stay alive."

"You ensure my will to live just by being here, Your Grace." His flattery was not uncommon nor was Gwen surprised by his words; it was no secret that all of Camelot was in love with their Queen.

"Flatterer." She chided softly. "I must go. Please…stay alive." She begged as she stood and took off into the heart of the battle, knowing that would be where Arthur was, while The Lady followed close behind. They ended up climbing Badon Hill, The Lady pushing any oncoming wraiths back while Gwen tried not to distract their army with her presence. It was hopeless in some cases and The Lady ended up disobeying The Triple Goddess and protecting some soldiers who would otherwise have died while distracted by Gwen. Nearing the top of the hill, Gwen finally spotted Arthur, The Knights, and Merlin. Morgana was keeping Merlin busy while the wraiths tried to converge around Arthur, who was clearly their target, though The Knights of The Round table were making a valiant effort to stop them. Gwen stayed back, not wanting to distract her husband or friends and watched in fear as the wraiths kept coming. It did not matter how many times they were cut down they still returned to fight again, some missing an arm, or a chunk out of their stomach. The only time the wraiths stayed down was when Arthur, Percival or Leon were the ones delivering the blow; their immortal blades proving to be the wraiths' weakness. However, even though the three possessed weapons capable of defeating this enemy, there were many more wraiths than there were immortal blades and their task was a hard one, made even more so as the wraiths were not mindless, and were forming strategies. Their current one appeared to be to get Arthur alone, having to face too many of them to be able to defeat; a strategy they were able to carry out within minutes of Gwen arriving.

"Give up the sword." One of them commanded of Arthur.

"Give up my only means of defeating you? Right, I'll get right on that." The King laughed sarcastically.

"You don't really have a choice." Another sneered, the seven surrounding him raising their swords threateningly. He did have another choice though, however risky a move it was. At the top of the hill next to Arthur was a stone that had stood there for longer than anyone knew and it was into that stone that Arthur thrust Excalibur.

"Only The High King can pull the sword from that stone. I will never let it fall into your hands." He said, and though he was now all but defenseless Arthur knew he had done the right thing; better he die and the sword remain in the stone forevermore then allow an immortal blade to fall into the hands of the wraiths, or worse Morgana herself. It was hard to tell if the wraiths were disappointed, their decaying faces didn't exactly offer facial expressions, but regardless of what they may be feeling none wasted any time in attacking The King.

"Arthur!" Gwen's cry was automatic and could not be stopped. Although she had initially not wanted to draw attention to herself she was ultimately glad that she did for the blow aimed at her husband's head was stopped as the wraiths became distracted.

"Guinevere...?" Arthur murmured in shock, his eyes going wide at seeing his wife on the battlefield. "Guinevere!" Grabbing Excalibur's hilt, Arthur pulled the sword back out of the stone and took out two wraiths in one swing as he cut a path to his wife; his determination, and the wraiths distraction, giving him the opening he needed.

"What the bloody hell are you doing here?!" He roared as he neared her side.

"I brought her, Your Grace." The Lady informed him, though Arthur didn't want to hear it.

"She is The High Queen of Britain, fully capable of saying no and taking responsibility for her own stupidity when she doesn't!" He growled, turning furious eyes on Gwen. That particular look was one Gwen was not used to having directed at her, yet recognized quite well all the same. While they had had their arguments, as all couples did, neither had had reason to be truly furious with the other, except for one occasion: on the day of Camelot's downfall when Arthur had thought Gwen had betrayed him.

"Indeed I am." Gwen agreed, neither trying to diffuse Arthur's anger, nor apologizing for her actions.

"Get out of here. Take her back to Camelot!" The High King commanded.

"I am needed here." Gwen argued.

"Really? You have an immortal blade you suddenly know how to use? Or some other manner of defeating wraiths you forgot to share with the group?" She rolled her eyes at his sarcasm, knowing it to be his coping mechanism when he was afraid.

"You know that is not true."

"Then what could you possibly have to offer on the field of battle?" As they talked he had continued to fight the oncoming wraiths, though it was made easier with The Lady's help.

"I am The Once and Future Queen, it is my destiny to stand beside you and play my part in bringing about a new Golden Age." She reminded him. "The Lady came to me directly from The Disir. The Triple Goddess herself has said that that destiny shall be fulfilled here." Although her explanation did nothing to calm him, Arthur could not fight her any longer. The Triple Goddess was the one being none of them could, or should, ignore, and she had never led them astray before; if she said Gwen was needed here then there was a reason for it.

"I don't know how to protect you here." Were the next words he said, quieter and with fear in his voice.

"That is why I am here, Sire." The Lady spoke once more as she blasted a wraith back with magic; unfortunately not even her power was enough to destroy them.

"I welcome your help." News of The Queen's presence on the battlefield spread quickly and it wasn't long before more wraiths and The Knights both converged on her.

"You should not be here!" Leon chastised as he used his new blade to see to the end of another wraith.

"I've always said The Triple Goddess was a bit barmy, but this is taking things to a new level and you should know better!" Percival added, both knights sounding as if they were scolding a disobedient little sister, which in truth was not far off.

"Oh well." Was all Gwen said as this time Percival dealt with the oncoming enemy. There was one enemy, however, that the First Knights could not hope to defeat and Morgana had used Merlin's distraction to send him flying before turning her sights on Gwen. Using her magic, she sent Leon and Percival flying as well though was quickly met by The Lady who was intent on doing all she could.

"Step aside, My Lady." Morgana ordered. "If not even the great Emrys is a match for me now, what makes you think you stand a chance?" Two thousand years ago Morgana had all but begged The Lady for her help, for she was the most powerful sorceress alive; however, things had changed, and though The Lady's power was still formidable there were certainly beings more powerful than she. Even so, The Lady stood her ground and put up a shield to counter Morgana's attack, though it would not last long and she told Gwen so, urging her to run. Gwen debated, not wanting to leave The Lady, nor knowing where to run to in the middle of a battle, but the choice was taken out of her hands when Percival grabbed her arm and began to lead her away, Leon watching both their backs. When she finally broke through the shield, Morgana wasted no time in using The Lady's current weakened state against her and knocking her out, though she knew it would not last for long. Seeing her prey running quickly away from her, Morgana raised her hand and made a fist, pulling it back as her eyes glowed golden. Her spell saw an invisible force grab Gwen and pull her back, knocking the wind out of her as she fell to the ground. Percival fell with her, for he still held her arm, while Leon turned instantly and raised his sword to protect against attackers. When Percival stood, reaching to help his Queen, Morgana's eyes glowed once more as she sent the two Knights flying backwards.

"Guinevere!" Arthur roared from his spot fighting several wraiths, desperately trying to reach his wife. His cry alerted Morgana to another, even stronger opponent who was approaching, having finally picked himself up after Morgana's last attack. Knowing she had little time before she would be on the defensive once more, Morgana raised her hand and kept Gwen in her sights while she began chanting her next spell.

"Morgana no!" Merlin shouted, recognizing the power building and knowing it could very well be fatal to The High Queen. "She was your friend, your sister! Don't do this!" It was as if Merlin thought there was still a part inside Morgana that could be reached by mere words. The sorceress did falter for but a moment, a falter that was noticeable only to those paying close attention, though it did not stay her hand. What could only be described as pure power left Morgana and sped towards Gwen. Merlin quickly cast a shield but it was too late, the spell hit and The Queen's scream reverberated across the field.

"Guinevere!" Arthur watched as she crumpled to the ground in a dead heap, hoping against hope that she wasn't truly dead. Morgana's triumphant laugh followed him as he cut his way through the wraiths that stood between him and his wife. Merlin arrived but a moment after him, as did Leon and Percival, the latter two who kept the wraiths at bay while their King and the Court Mage assessed The Queen's condition.

"Guinevere! Guinevere, please be alright!" Arthur cried as he pulled her into his arms. "Merlin what is wrong with her?!" Gwen looked to be in a deep sleep, though one far from peaceful.

"She is under a sleeping curse." He said sombrely.

"What, like in a fairy-tale? Do I kiss her to wake her up?"

"No…"

"Then how do I wake her?!"

"You can't-"

"Of course I can!"

"To wake her now could do irreparable damage."

"Merlin, start explaining, and get to the point quickly." Arthur snapped, watching as Gwen moaned in what sounded to be pain.

"She is under a spell called the Sleep of Death. It's a spell that traps a person inside their nightmares, but with real life consequences." As if to prove his point, Gwen gasped and a cut appeared on her cheek, blood seeping from it. "Whatever damage is inflicted in her dreams happens to her in real life; her dreams are literally killing her."

"And if we wake her?"

"Then her nightmares become reality. Whatever her darkest fear is, whatever is driving her nightmares will be real to her when she wakes. I don't mean that monsters will suddenly appear, but if she is dreaming of monsters then she will see them and they will continue to be able to hurt her. Even if we cannot see them, even if we know they are not real, they will be real to her."

"There has to be a way to stop this!"

"There is but it requires a great deal of light magic, more than I possess, and cannot be accomplished while fighting for our lives!" Merlin said as he blasted a wraith who was about to stab Leon in the back.

"Thanks." The Knight muttered as he turned and ran the wraith through.

"Then we need to end this quickly." Arthur insisted. "We must kill Morgan-"

"GWEN!"

 **oo00oo00oo**

While Arthur and Merlin ran towards the fallen Queen, Morgana laughed in triumph at her success. The High Queen was under her spell, one only she knew the cure for, which she would only tell them upon Arthur's surrender before granting them all a quick death and taking the throne of Britain for herself. As these thoughts flittered through her mind, another did as well, one of pure and utter terror at what she had done. Morgana faltered once more, something she had been doing quite a lot of late if she was honest with herself, though this time the feeling would not go away. Usually whenever she was filled with doubt or regret, an overwhelming anger and hatred would overtake her, a voice accompanying it, and squash any such feelings before she had a chance to truly register that they were there, let alone give her a chance to examine them. The voice that told her that it had been Arthur and Guinevere who had betrayed her and took away her birthright had been weakening as of late, allowing her to remember a time before it all, when she lived in Camelot as the beloved daughter, then sister, of The King; a time when she was happy. However, anytime she dwelled too long on that feeling, or began to truly think on her betrayal and why she had done it, the voice returned, as if desperate to keep her from thinking too hard on it. Now, seeing her once friend be attacked from within, as her army of the dead did all they could to destroy Camelot's army, that feeling surfaced once more. Her laughter stopped abruptly and she grabbed her head, falling to her knees at the pain splitting it open, allowing the same voice that always spoke to her in, telling her that this was a good thing, that having The High Queen at her mercy brought her one step closer to her goal. This time, however, Morgana did not give in without a fight. Her worry for Gwen was real, and the voice that had been weakening, continuing to do so now, could not push her worry down so easily. Even so, the voice would not give in so easily either and it was difficult not to give in to it, knowing that the peaceful oblivion awaited her. Focusing on Gwen, Morgana refused to give in to the seductiveness of the voice, promising her power beyond anything if only she defeated The High King and The Immortal Mage.

"Gwen, Gwen, Gwen, Gwen, Gwen, Gwen…" She muttered over and over, trying to remember the friendship they once shared. "GWEN!"

The shout drew Arthur and Merlin's attention to Morgana who was not standing triumphant as they had last seen her, but rather who was sitting on the ground, rocking back and forth with her head in her hands.

"What is she doing?" Arthur asked confused.

"I don't know." Merlin said, looking just as confused as Arthur sounded. Morgana's cry did not only draw their attention, however, and the other's who's attention was drawn were not so opposed to using the opening presented to them.

"Sire, forgive me!" Lancelot said, knowing that regardless of Morgana's betrayal her death would hurt Arthur. After knocking back the wraith he was fighting Lancelot raised his sword and charged at Morgana.

"NO!" Merlin cried. Reaching out with his magic he gently pulled the Knight back until he stood beside him.

"Why do you stop me?" Lancelot demanded. "We can end this!"

"Something is not right." He insisted. "Look at her! Does she look a threat to you?" Slowly Lancelot looked to the army of wraiths attacking his fellow knights and to his Queen who lay cursed on the ground.

"Yes!" He said when his gaze finally returned to Merlin. "Do not let your feelings stand in the way Merlin. We know she was once a sister to you, as she was to Arthur and Guinevere, but you cannot let your past together dictate your actions now!"

"As much as I wish it were not true, Lancelot is right." Arthur spoke up. "We cannot allow more men to die if we can stop this. And we must save Guinevere." The King looked quite pained as he said this, though whether it was the thought of killing Morgana, or the patches of blood that continued to appear on his wife as the curse raced through her, they did not know. "There is nothing to forgive, Lancelot. End this!" The Knight moved to do just that but found he could not move, that his feet appeared stuck to the ground. Turning his furious gaze on Merlin, he was met with an unrepentant stare.

"I will not let her die needlessly. But if needed I will kill her myself." His eyes flashing gold with magic, Merlin sent a powerful blast outwards that passed harmlessly through Camelot's army but pushed the wraiths back further than the eye could see. Without hesitating, the warlock then knelt beside Gwen and placed his hand on her forehead, muttering under his breath. His eyes flashed once more and The Queen's breathing became less laboured, her sleep becoming more peaceful.

"What did you do?" Arthur demanded.

"Bought us time. The wraiths will return, and my magic will not hold the curse on Gwen at bay for long, but it will give us time to figure out what is wrong with her." He turned towards Morgana who seemed completely oblivious to the goings on around her as she continued to rock back and forth, muttering to herself. With their enemies pushed back for the time being, Camelot's army re-grouped around their King, cries of shock and despair going through the army as they saw their Queen lying in his arms.

"Search for the wounded!" Percival and Leon took command. "Move those you can into one group to protect them better and offer what aid you can to those too injured to move."

"Leave the dead; there is no more that can be done for them now, though we will honour them when this is over. Be prepared, for the wraiths will return soon!" The men jumped into action, most of them used to helping the wounded on the battlefield, while the modern soldiers followed their lead and offered what assistance they could. This left The Knights of the Round Table, Arthur, Merlin and The Lady of the Lake to deal with Morgana.

"Why do you think she need not die?" Arthur then asked.

"How many people do you see there?" He pointed to Morgana, his friends confusing growing at his question.

"One…?" Was the only logical answer, though if Merlin was asking such a question it was doubtful that the logical answer was the right one.

"I sense two. There are two magical signatures inside Morgana."

"Two? How are there two magical signatures when there is clearly only one person?"

"My guess would be that Morgana's soul joined with another."

"And that makes her innocent?" Bors voiced everyone's scepticism.

"No. But it would explain why she seems to be fighting herself, if the other soul is fighting for control."

"It would also explain The Disir's warning, that all is not as it seemed with Morgana." The Lady added. Merlin nodded at his fellow magic user, remembering the warning she had brought from the mouthpiece of The Triple Goddess the day they had discovered that wraiths may be the army they would face. He had hoped then that The Triple Goddess' warning meant that Morgana was innocent, though he had refused to operate under that assumption without proof, and sensing two souls within her, his hope returned. Pulling himself from this thoughts, Merlin turned his attention to the task at hand and approached Morgana. She seemed entirely unaware of his approach, not flinching nor giving any sign that she saw or heard him, though he stood ready nonetheless in case this was a ruse.

"Morgana?" He ventured, his call not breaking through whatever battle played in her mind. "Morgana?" He called louder, reaching to place a hand on her shoulder. Her head snapped up and he could see the tears that flowed down her face from frightened eyes.

"Merlin…" She murmured before gasping in pain and grabbing her head once more.

"Tell me what's wrong." He implored.

"Hurts…" She grunted. "The voice won't stop!"

"Voice? What voice?"

"It won't let go…won't give up…no peace…anger…hatred…kill…Camelot…mine…" Her ramblings appeared non-sensible, though they added pieces to the puzzle for Merlin and The Lady.

"Are we to believe that she's hearing voices and that they told her to attack Camelot? To betray her friends and family?" Dagonet asked, he and most of The Knights of the Round Table not having known Morgana and so not having that love for her that made them want to believe it could be that simple.

"I suppose it is possible she's mad." Tristan reasoned. "Some illnesses or mental disorders can cause hallucinations that warp a person's reality. Even today we're still learning about them, it is not something that anyone would have known to look for two thousand years ago."

"She is not mad." Merlin said. "She really is hearing voices, ones that are not hallucinations."

"But-"

"Soul magic is some of the trickiest and most dangerous magic known to man." The Lady said. "Depending on its use it can also be some of the darkest magic. I too sense two souls within her. It appears that someone quite powerful has forced their soul into her body and it is now fighting for control."

"Can we get to the point?" Arthur demanded as Gwen's breathing began to speed up once more.

"The point is, her actions may not be her own. If the foreign soul gained control it would push hers down until everything that made Morgana who she is disappeared to be replaced by the foreign soul; it would be as if she is nothing but an empty shell. Like those she enchanted to do her bidding, it would be her body but she is not in control of her actions. The difference though being that for Morgana there's no escape. An enchantment can be lifted or broken and the person will return to normal. Expelling a soul, even a foreign one, is near impossible."

" _Near_ impossible?"

"It is near impossible for if the foreign soul is powerful enough to push the host's soul down then it usually means that the host isn't strong enough to fight it and they will spend the rest of their days locked away inside themselves, with no one the wiser to the change."

"Unless they do something completely out of character, like betray their family…and we believe it." Arthur was near crying at this point, wanting with all his heart to believe that it had not really been his sister who had betrayed them, but someone controlling her.

"Yes." Merlin said dryly. "She's fighting it though. The hold the foreign soul has on her weakened enough for Morgana to break free of its control, but its fighting to regain that control."

"So what do we do?" Leon asked.

"I'm going to lend my magic to help her fight it. She has to be the one to break free, I cannot simply pull the soul from her, but I can offer assistance."

"If she is successful, I will follow and ensure all traces of it are gone." The Lady added. "If Morgana is strong enough to break free, she will never be controlled so again." Merlin nodded his thanks and the two sorcerers kneeled beside Morgana, The Lady standing by while Merlin placed his hands on her shoulders and closed his eyes. Unlike in the movies where such internal battles were quite dramatic and a great show of magic was common, for it would otherwise be boring for the viewer, there was none of that here. In fact, as Arthur and The Knights watched on they couldn't even tell that Merlin was using his magic, or that any battle was taking place. The only indication that anything was happening was the subtle changes in Morgana that they began to see. Her rocking stopped, as did the gasps and moans of pain. Her fingers, which were clenched tightly in her hair loosened and her tears stopped, her facial features morphing from those of pain and sorrow to one of concentration. It was several minutes before anything else happened, though this change did not come from Morgana or Merlin, but from the army that was scattered around the battlefield. A shout had gone up and swords were drawn as the wraiths marched back into view. It was at the first clang of sword against sword that Morgana let out a mighty roar and a black smoke erupted from within her. Both Merlin and The Lady moved quickly, The Lady taking Merlin's place and filling Morgana with her magic while Merlin used his to force the black smoke together and away from anyone else, stopping it from finding a new host. With nothing to possess, a soul could not last long before it passed on, as it should have when its body died rather than staying in the land of the living. The soul let out a terrifying cry as it died, heard only by those with magic, before the smoke disappeared entirely. Drained, Merlin fell to the ground and took several deep breaths.

"That's it?" Percival asked when it seemed he had caught his breath somewhat.

"Ha!" Merlin laughed humourlessly. "It may not have looked impressive, but that was no easy feat. The soul inside Morgana was not only very powerful but had been there for two thousand years."

"I meant is she back?" He asked quietly. "Is she our Morgana again?" Not knowing the answer to that, Merlin turned to look at the woman in question and saw her gazing about in fear and confusion while The Lady sat by her side, a sad smile on her face. Forcing himself to his feet, Merlin stumbled towards Morgana.

"Merlin…"

"How are you, Morgana?"

"I…I don't understand. What…how…?"

"You've been asleep for a very long time." He said with a rare show of tact, not sure how much she would remember while she had been possessed. However, it appeared she remembered it all for her eyes went wide and tears once more flowed freely.

"Oh god!" She spun around quickly and surged forward upon laying eyes on Arthur, who still cradled his Queen in his arms. "GWEN!"

* * *

 **A/N - Big shift with Morgana here. Looks like she wasn't evil after all! I tried to drop hints that things weren't exactly as they seemed without revealing all too early, but not sure how well it came across.**

 **Also I lied, there is _now_ two chapters left. While writing the final chapter I realized it was more than double the length of my usual chapters so split it into two. **


	28. The Diamond of the Day

_Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.  
_

* * *

 **Chapter 28 – The Diamond of the Day**

* * *

"GWEN!" Morgana surged forward and scrambled towards the fallen queen, her shaking hands reaching out though stopping short as if she was afraid to touch her. "No! No, no, no, no! What have I done?!" She sobbed.

"Morgana." Arthur murmured and she looked up at the man she had once called brother.

"Arthur…" She murmured back and for the first time since she had been captured by the Saxons all those years ago, Arthur truly saw the Morgana he had known in her eyes. They both wanted to say so much to each other, but did not delude themselves that they had time as both Gwen's moans and the pounding charge of the oncoming wraiths grew louder. While a part of her would love nothing more than to curl up into a ball and sob over everything she had done, Morgana knew that now was the time to right at least some of the wrongs she had committed, not to pity herself. Gathering her magic, weakened as it was after having forced out the soul that had possessed her for two thousand years, she sent a powerful blast outwards just before the wraiths reached the first of Camelot's army. The wraiths did not merely stop in their tracks as her magic hit them, but fell to the ground immobile, nothing but corpses once more.

"I'm sorry." She murmured, getting to her feet and backing away. "They won't harm anyone ever again."

"Morgana don't go!" Arthur begged.

"I can't…" She whispered brokenly. "Merlin, take Gwen to the Cauldron of Arianrhod. The Triple Goddess' powers are held within its waters and from there you can summon her yourself. Only she will have the power to heal Gwen."

"Come with us. The power of a High Priestess would only be of use." The warlock tried, but Morgana shook her head.  
"I'm not a High Priestess anymore." She insisted vehemently. "I'm not sure if I ever was, but certainly no longer. The Triple Goddess will only respond to the call of light magic and we all know that is not me."

"Not even The Triple Goddess is all knowing, Morgana. She took away your High Priestesshood only because she truly believed you had turned from her teachings and embraced dark magic. But it wasn't you, we know now it never was, and she will return to you if you let her." Again Morgana shook her head.

"I can't…it's all my fault. I'm sorry." She addressed everyone though was looking at Arthur. "Hurry, you don't have much time. I hope she'll be alright." With a wave of her hand Morgana disappeared closely followed by The Lady who's departure went unnoticed save for Merlin; the implication was clear, Morgana would not be left alone.

"She's right that we don't have much time." Merlin concurred as Gwen let out a pained gasp, more blood seeping through her dress. With a quick spell of his own, Merlin sent the bodies of the Saxons back to their resting place, hoping they would never be disturbed again. Another spell saw the army and Knights transported back to Camelot, the injured arriving in the makeshift hospital that Gaius had had set up, while a third spell saw Arthur, Gwen and Merlin transported to a small lake at the base of a cliff.

"This is the Cauldron she spoke of?" Arthur asked.

"Yes." Merlin replied. "I'm going to wake Gwen. When I do you must convince her to enter the waters of her own free will, only then can I summon The Triple Goddess."

"Did you not say that waking her could cause irreparable damage?!" Arthur demanded, not liking Merlin's plan when it contradicted what he had said not too long ago.

"I did." He admitted. "But that was when we could not quickly heal her. As I said, when I wake her, her nightmares become her reality. If she stays in that state for too long, with her nightmares no longer sequestered in the dream realm but also here when she is awake then her mind will break. Nightmares are scary enough when we're asleep, but to have them become real for too long causes irreparable damage to the human psyche. Of course that's if she lives long enough for her mind to break." He muttered the last bit as yet another injury appeared on his Queen.

"But if we heal her quickly she'll be alright?" Arthur needed to know.

"Yes. But Arthur there is danger in this. Gwen must enter the waters of her own free will; she cannot be forced or coerced or The Triple Goddess will not answer my call. That could prove quite difficult depending what her nightmares are. She may try to run, or she may fight you, but no matter what you _must_ reach that part inside of her that loves you and convince her to enter the waters on her own."

"If I don't then she is lost." Arthur said the unspoken words Merlin had left out. The warlock nodded and he watched the anguish on his King's face as he debated with himself before finally coming to a decision. "If I do nothing then she is lost to me anyways. At least this way there is a chance. Wake her."

"Prepare yourself. When she wakes you will have but a few moments." Arthur nodded and motioned for Merlin to get on with it.

" _Gielde ic þec þissa meowles sawol... Gyden æblæce."_ For a few moments it seemed that nothing had happened. Then, Gwen's eyes fluttered open and she took in the scene around her before sitting bolt upright.

"Where am I?" She asked. "What have you done to me?"

"You were asleep-"

"Get away from me!" She cried, jumping to her feet and making to run.

"Guinevere!" He chased after her, catching up easily and pulling her back, ignoring her protests as he held her by the arms. "My Guinevere-"

"Your Guinevere?! You stupid foolish man! I was never yours, and never will be!" Arthur's blood ran cold as he looked into her hate filled eyes, hate that had never been there before.

"It is her nightmares speaking, Arthur." Merlin reminded him. "You must reach her or all is lost."

"What rubbish is this?"

"You love me, Guinevere." He insisted, focusing on Merlin's words and reminding himself that it was the spell talking.

"You're easily fooled."

"I know you do."

"It was a trick, nothing more. A subterfuge to pass Camelot to its rightful queen!"

"I don't believe that."

"Believe what you like, the fact remains-" She cut off as Arthur began to pull her backwards, towards the Cauldron.

"No it must be of her own will!" Merlin reminded him. Arthur stopped and looked to Merlin desperately before trying again.

"Look at me." He said, pulling Gwen to him to try and cease her struggles. "Tell me you don't love me."

"Let me go!" She demanded, though Arthur noted that she did not deny her love for him and it was on that which he now focused.

"You remember when you first told me you were pregnant? When we first confessed our love for each other? Do you remember what you said? 'With all my heart,' that's what you said Guinevere, that was no subterfuge, no trickery." Gwen's struggles stopped as he spoke and her eyes glazed over though he could see that they remained on him. Slowly Arthur released her and began walking back into the Cauldron. "'With all my heart.'" He said again, continuing to move backwards, though never breaking eye contact with her. "'With all my heart.'" When he was knee deep in the water he held out his hand, hoping she would follow him.

"With all my heart…" She murmured and began to take slow steps forward. She stumbled a few times though never stopped and reached out for Arthur's hand when she came up beside him. He led her a few steps further before releasing her hand and allowing her to continue alone.

" _Yfel gæst ga þu fram_ _þisse lichaman. Biþ hire mod eft freo. Ar ond heofontungol sceal þurhswiþan!"_ Merlin cast his magic to summon The Trip Goddess when the water reached Gwen's waist. A light appeared from deep within the depths, surrounding Gwen and passing through her. Gwen made no sound when The Triple Goddess' power entered her, nor did she give any sign that anything was happening; they hoped the light was sign enough. When it died down Gwen turned, her eyes locking on to Arthur. Seeing the desperation in them, Gwen smiled softly and held out her hand. Arthur ran to her as fast as his armour, weighed down by water as it was, allowed, and gathered her in his arms. The two breathed a sigh of relief and held each other for who knows how long. When Arthur would finally release her, Gwen exited the Cauldron and went to Merlin's side, pulling him into a hug as well.

"Thank you, Merlin." She said.

"It was my pleasure, Your Grace." He replied, glad to see her back to normal. "Though it was Arthur who did the hard part, I merely summoned The Triple Goddess."

"Not everyone could summon her, Merlin." Gwen contradicted. "It takes a great deal of magic, a great deal of _light_ magic, to do so. I don't think any other possesses both the strength and purity of heart to wield such light magic." She whispered the last bit for his ears only.

"Thank you, Gwen." He was touched by the sincerity in her words.

"If there is nothing else for us to do here, may we return home?" Arthur interrupted as he came over and drew his wife to his side once more, still not over how close he had come to losing her. Merlin merely nodded and waved his hand, returning them to Camelot. They were met by silence though the room was full, everyone staring at them, especially Merlin. Leon took it upon himself to explain.

"Apparently The Lady broadcast not only the battle but what transpired at the Cauldron just now as well. She used your crystal ball, Merlin."

"It was hers before it was mine." He admitted.

"But that's not all." Leon continued. "Queen Elizabeth received a call and it appears that what they saw on the crystal ball here was also broadcast on television. The entire country, and probably a great deal of the world, saw what happened."

"And that caused them to go mute?" Arthur wondered. His words had the effect of seemingly unfreezing at least some of their audience for their parents rushed towards them and engulfed them in hugs. The two allowed it for a few moments but not for long as they still had much to do.

"We must see to the wounded, they need our help." Gwen said as encouragement to get her parents to let go.

"Allow me." Said Merlin, already making his way out the door after greeting his relieved wife and mother.

"You've already used too much magic today!" Gwen scolded, knowing the more magic he used the more it drained him.

"I'll sleep for a week straight if needed, but if they are at all alive I can heal them even if they would normally be beyond a physician's care." She could not fault his logic, knowing as she did that magic, especially Merlin's, could heal many wounds that regular methods could not. With no other recourse, Gwen nodded her consent, not that she could stop Merlin if he was truly determined, and was thankful when Mithian followed him out; she would ensure Merlin took care of himself.

"Is everything else in hand?" Arthur asked his Knights.

"It is, Sire." Percival answered. "All things considered we lost few men, fewer still as many yet live, though they would eventually succumb to their injuries if Merlin were not healing them."

"We will arrange funerals in the coming days. Speak with their families on that matter, though if they have none they shall be buried here in Camelot with all honours." The Knights nodded their assent, unfortunately well used to making the rounds to grieving families.

"We shall co-ordinate with the General to contact the families of those in the royal army who lost their lives." Tristan added.

"Good." He said, dismissing his Knights. "Your Majesty, Your Royal Highnesses." He then greeted their guests, having spotted them a moment ago. "You are most welcome here. Please forgive me, I fear I am quite battle weary and not a pretty sight."

"After witnessing what we did we should be ashamed of ourselves if we thought you would be otherwise." The Queen was entirely serious as she spoke. Although both she and Prince Philip had lived through a world war, neither had seen the battlefield and films were a poor imitation of what they had seen here today. Arthur nodded before excusing himself and his Queen. The two made their way to their chambers, by passing the nursery for now as they did not want their children to see them in such a state. George was there with a bath prepared, though he quietly left when it became clear his services were not needed. Gwen helped Arthur out of his armour before he unlaced her dress and they both climbed into the tub, water splashing over the side as they settled against each other. They sat in silence for some time, Gwen's back pressed to Arthur's chest with her arms wrapped around her, before those arms tightened.

"I thought I'd lost you today." He murmured. "Seeing you on the battlefield, even with The Lady as protection…my heart stopped. Then when you were cursed…"

"I know. I know, my love. It is how I feel every time you go off to battle. The fear of losing you is horrible. Though apparently not my worst nightmare." She added, thinking on what the curse had made her reality.

"I had never seen hatred in you eyes. At least not directed at me. It was more than just unnerving."

"Even though it was not for long, the curse made it as if I had betrayed you. As if I had become like Morgana, and turned on you for seemingly no reason. Made all the worse because I had pledged allegiance to your worst enemy."

"She is an enemy no longer." He said.

"Merlin was finally able to kill her then." There was no joy in her voice. "For good this time?"

"No. No, Guinevere, Morgana is alive and not our enemy." Gwen spun in his arms to face him, confused, and he realized that Gwen had been unconscious when it had been revealed that Morgana had been possessed and so knew nothing of it. "She was enchanted. Possessed. By whom we know not, well maybe Merlin does, but the point is that Morgana did not betray us of her own will." Gwen burst into tears and flung her arms around Arthur, burrowing her head into his chest as her heart grew both lighter and heavier all at once. That Morgana, who had been her sister for all intents and purposes, had not actually betrayed them lifted a great burden from her heart; though the fact that they had so easily believed Morgana capable of such treachery weighed it down once more.

"Where is she?" Gwen asked when her tears subsided.

"We don't know." Arthur admitted. "Once she destroyed the wraiths and told us how to save you she disappeared."

"We have to find her! We have to bring her home!" Gwen stood and left the tub, grabbing a linen to dry herself before reaching for a clean dress.

"While I agree, I do not think it will be that simple." Her husband said as he too left the tub and began to dress.

"Then we will keep searching until we find her!" Gwen was determined and as his own thoughts mirrored hers, Arthur had no complaints. Once dressed the two went into the nursery to see their children briefly, glad that they were still so young they had not known that their parents' lives were in danger and so the hours they had been apart did not seem terribly long nor important to the children. Afterwards they made their way back down to the throne room where their family and the modern royals were still gathered, though they noted that The Knights had also left to clean themselves up.

"You alright, Merlin?" Arthur asked, seeing his friend sitting down with his wife standing over him. He looked tired, but otherwise not the worse for wear.

"Yes. Everyone is healed; Gaius is merely ensuring my magic has done its job before telling them to rest. As I am being forced to."

"Be thankful I have not confined you to bed." Mithian growled, not at all repentant for her worry over her husband. A smirk formed on Merlin's face and he sent her a look that had her blushing. Although he had not voiced his thoughts his expression clearly said he would not mind being confined to bed if she were with him. Seeing his look, The Knights and Arthur chuckled softly; such lewd comments, even non-verbal ones, were more their department and promised teasing material at a later date.

"Anyways." Arthur coughed when his own wife shot him an unimpressed look. "With the wounded dealt with we can turn our sights to honouring the dead. Though as it is getting late I do not think it improper to do so tomorrow morning. So long as families have been informed." He turned to his Knights, as they had been delegated this job.

"The General said he would contact the families in the royal army, and all those of Camelot have been informed." Tristan reported.

"Those with men who did not return home upon our return had gathered in the courtyard awaiting word. Many were thankful that their loved ones had merely been hurt and would soon be healed, though there are those not so fortunate." Percival added.

"We will visit them on the morrow." Gwen said. "Offer what comfort we can, though it will be little."

"Only two soldiers do not have any apparent family." The First Knight continued. "We have not given up the search, but they have no family in Camelot at least. If their modern selves have family we shall discover it soon, the General has said he will look into it."

"Then we have done all we can for today." Arthur said with a nod. "Next order of business…Merlin explain to us exactly what happened with Morgana."

"She had been possessed by another's soul for near two thousand years." He said. "Her actions during this time were not her own. Her betrayal was not of her will, she became possessed when first captured by the Saxons."

"So you're saying that the one who caused all this, is not really evil?" Alex, Arthur's modern day father, asked, though it was clear that more than one of the parents agreed with his scepticism.

"That is exactly what we are saying." Arthur replied to his father, a note of caution in his voice, though he tried to lessen it given whom he was speaking to.

"It sounds very convenient to me. And far too much like a fairy story." One of Lancelot's fathers, Liam, added.

"Regardless it is true." Arthur was trying not to lose his patience, but this was a sore subject, made all the more so by the fact that he should have his sister back.

"Is she in custody?" Prince Charles then asked. "We should inform the authorities so they may set a trial date."

"There will be no trial." Any patience he had had was gone as he turned his furious gaze on his fellow royal. "Morgana is not of this time, more so than even ourselves for she does not have a modern day counterpart. Your authorities have no claim on her."

"She attacked London." The Prince tried to argue. "Regardless of whether or not she was enchanted she must face justice!" Arthur was not the only one who had lost his patience. At an unseen golden flash of a pair of eyes, Charles found himself standing, making his way to Bors, and promptly punching him in the face.

"Oi!" The Knight cried, taking a step back out of shock, for the punch had not had much power behind it. With another flash of gold, Charles too took a step back in shock, cradling his hand.

"I…I don't…"

"You just assaulted someone with no provocation." Merlin spoke up, his voice as cold as his look. "Regardless of whether or not you were enchanted, you must face justice." He used The Prince's words against.

"You forced me to do that?" Charles asked, anger in his voice.

"It's not nice being controlled is it?" He confirmed with a nod. "You're not in control of your actions, your mind and soul are pushed down until all that you are is suppressed, being replaced by another. Under your own will you would never have punched Bors, but you were not under your own will. Had I commanded it you would have killed your wife and children that sat beside you without hesitating or even blinking an eye. Knowing he was not at fault do you blame him?" Merlin asked of Bors.

"No. But was punching me really necessary?" He grumbled.

"I knew he couldn't actually hurt you." Merlin dismissed, turning his attention back to Charles. "The one you have wronged does not blame you and I can see in your eyes that you do not believe you should be held accountable for what just happened. So why should Morgana? Because the repercussions of her actions were more severe? Because you might as well have given that mountain a love tap while Morgana killed people? Regardless of the outcome, neither of you were in control of yourselves. This is not someone who committed a crime out of duress, making the choice to do so, even if for noble intentions. This is someone who's body was used as a puppet, who literally had no choice in the matter. Morgana has been another's puppet for _two thousand years,_ while you were controlled for but a few seconds, and even so those seconds were enough for you to know that she had no choice, just as you did not."

"But even so-" Charles tried to turn things back around, not liking that a mere boy was getting the better of him, never mind who this boy was, or what his real age was.

"But nothing." Arthur intervened, coming to stand beside Merlin. "Morgana is not to blame for her actions, the one controlling her is, and that person has paid with their life. When you leave here you may do what you like. Go on television, try and start a public outcry for Morgana's head, but know this: it will not work. Even if we knew where she is, which we do not, we would never hand her over to you and if you pushed the matter you would begin another war with the very people who have been fighting one for two thousand years."

"Oh it won't get that far. I won't let it." Merlin informed them. "You know who I am, how powerful I am. I may not want to use my magic to force my will on others, but in this I will. We have suffered and sacrificed far more than you can ever know and I will not let you force further sacrifice and take our sister from us now that we finally have her back. If you push the issue it will not be war, I will merely wipe Morgana from the minds of everyone on earth and allow her to start over." The room was silent and everyone was reminded of exactly who these two were and what they were capable of. For all their personable nature, congeniality, joking, and even occasional bumbling idiocy they were in fact The High King and Immortal Mage of legend; formidable enemies should they be made such.

"I think we can handle the authorities should it become necessary." Said Prince Philip.

"So long as we have your assurance she will cause no more harm." His wife agreed.

"You do." Arthur replied. "I doubt you will even ever see her again. She will not want to reveal herself to us, let alone to the rest of the world."

"Then perhaps it best the world think her dead." Philip then suggested. Arthur nodded, knowing it to be the best course of action and also that it was highly unlikely Morgana would want to integrate herself in the modern world thus making that plan impossible. Both The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh wore the royal masks Arthur and Gwen knew so well, concealing their true feelings though they could guess the two were not exactly happy with this decision. Even so, both modern royals recognized it as the best option. This situation was far from normal and so the normal course of action could not be followed; however, so long as their people were not in danger from Morgana any longer they could live with this outcome.

"Merlin do you know who had possessed Lady Morgana?" Leon tactfully changed the subject, at least somewhat. There were more answers to be had, but the discussion of Morgana's fate was over.

"Morgause." He replied. "I should have known it was her."

"How could you have known that?" Mithian asked. "She was still alive when Morgana first betrayed you, her soul could not have been inside Morgana at that time."

"But it was. At least part of it was. When I helped Morgana expel Morgause I saw everything. When Morgana was captured and told of her relation to Morgause and that she was Uther's bastard she did not believe it. She fought hard, discovering her magic as it tried to protect her from the…manipulations of Morgause and the Saxons." Those of the past knew manipulations to mean torture, whether it was of the body or mind, or both, they did not want to know. "When nothing they tried worked Morgause severed a part of her soul and planted it inside Morgana. The soul magic was made easier as they shared blood, and once Morgana was being attacked from both outside and in she could no longer fight it."

"You said that day that she wasn't under any enchantment." Arthur reminded him, trying to hold in his anger and wait for an explanation for her knew Merlin would not have simply lied to him, though it was possible he had been mistaken.

"She wasn't. Soul magic is not an enchantment, not like I used on Prince Charles. It is vastly complicated and has many layers. The magic used to implant the piece of Morgause's soul and that used to further push Morgana's down was not merely a spell,but magic so complex most of those who have tried it have perished. It is magic few would recognize, and certainly not something I would have recognized as I was back then. Perhaps had I encountered Morgana more frequently I would have recognized that something was amiss, for she is strong and she fought Morgause. That's why Morgause was easily killed in that battle. She had had to further sever her soul to continue to control Morgana and so was weak. Once she died what remained of her soul joined with the bit inside Morgana, making Morgause's soul whole once more and cementing her control over Morgana." They all accepted that explanation for with the new facts they had it made sense, though one thing still played on Gwen's mind.

"Kilgharrah said she had the potential to betray us, which is why she succumbed to the Saxons and Morgause so easily."

"She did have that potential." Merlin admitted. "As Kilgharrah said she was destined to betray you and be your downfall, Arthur. But destinies can change, the future is not set in stone and Kilgharrah was not all knowing. At some point Morgana's destiny changed which is why Morgause had to control her as she did instead of Morgana turning willingly." More pieces fell into place and those who had known Morgana before Morgause got hold of her were glad that they did. Nothing else was said, for no one knew what to say, though a look shared between Gwen, Arthur and Merlin told that they would not give up the search for Morgana so easily.


	29. The Ancient Prophecy Fulfilled

_Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.  
_

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 **Chapter 29 – The Ancient Prophecy Fulfilled**

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The following weeks were ones of chaos, confusion and reflection. The battle had indeed been televised worldwide and when asked The Lady admitted it had not been by her doing, prompting Merlin to speak with The Disir who said it was the will of The Triple Goddess that the world see the destinies of The Once and Future King and Queen fulfilled. Gwen had not been happy that her part in their destiny had been to be cursed and need saving like a damsel in distress, though Arthur reminded her that this was real life, not a work of fiction were damsels in distress reigned for many years, and ultimately it had been her that had turned the tide with Morgana. Although initially not certain they agreed with The Triple Goddess about the necessity of broadcasting the battle, they could not deny the help it had been for magic was now well and truly accepted on earth once more. Very few remained vocal about the evils of magic and were quickly shot down when they spoke out, people reminding them that it was not magic itself but humans that possessed evil and would use magic to those ends. Merlin's wards, which he had initially planned to remove after the war with Morgana, or truthfully Morgause, came to an end, remained in place at the behest of world leaders. Not only had crime rates and death tolls dropped to the lowest they had been in recorded history, but all other wars waging in the world had been forced to an end. As no more attacks could take place, all sides were forced to talk like grownups and civilized beings instead of trying to blow each other up, as that was no longer an option.

The funerals of those who had died fighting the wraiths were held within the two weeks after the battle and were all attended by Arthur, Gwen and their court. The two had also had a monument erected in the castle courtyard to honour all those who had given their lives to end a two thousand year old war. Each person's name was painstaking carved into stone and even those modern soldiers who had died found their names immortalized in the legendary Camelot. Although the grieving would never truly end, once the funerals were over it was time to begin to move on, which left a conundrum for those who had been reborn. Do they return to their present day lives? Or remain as their past selves in Camelot? Was it even possible for them to remain as their past selves in the present day, especially for Arthur and Gwen who were a King and Queen without truly having a kingdom. If they left what would happen to Camelot? The questions continued to pour in with no easy answer. It was made all the more difficult by the fact that their past selves did not weaken inside them as they thought they would once their destinies were fulfilled, and so each choice left a void and half of them feeling like they did not belong in whichever world they chose to live in. Their decision, however, was decided for them on two different fronts. As one, the people of Camelot decided to remain. None of them had had lives in the present such that they missed them terribly, which had Merlin wondering if it could be the work of The Triple Goddess, and the parts that they would miss, family, friends and the like, they did not have to give up. Their present day selves were more at home in Camelot then their past selves were in the modern world and so they were quite content to remain in Camelot, allowing their past selves to live the lives that had been cut short, and also ensuring Camelot was not forgotten. It seemed impossible for Camelot to be forgotten, however, is it became clear quite quickly that the world did not want it to be forgotten. With magic newly returned to the world, and seeing the legend that these people once were and the truth that the world had seen since their awakening, no one wanted them to disappear from public eye. Arthur, Gwen and their court, like their people, were happy to remain in Camelot, and, for the most part, allow their past selves free reign. The compromise they had established prevailed and although they remained Arthur and Gwen most of the time, Aric and Gina were not forgotten and were who they appeared as when they stepped outside of Camelot, shedding The High King and Queen for their modern selves in their modern bodies.

Even with this decision made they could not live as they once had, largely because it was neither practical, nor even possible, to do so. The Knights, who had spent their time in the past training, guarding the royal family, and competing in tournaments could no longer make a living doing so, nor was it strictly necessary with the war with Morgause finally being over. Before the final battle they had graduated with their degrees and so were in a position to use them, which they did on occasion, though they remained in Camelot most of the time, none of them having a 9-5 job in an office somewhere. It helped, of course, that jobs were not strictly necessary given both that Camelot was self sustaining, not really needing much help from the outside world, and that the treasury remained full. Camelot had been a wealthy kingdom and upon it's destruction the royal treasury remained untouched for two thousand years; that vast fortune being worth a great deal more today. Arthur and Gwen were not like Uther who had hoarded his wealth. They spread the gold around to their people where needed and allowed some into the outside world to be given to museums, and in a few cases even bought by private collectors; needless to say none in Camelot wanted for anything.

Mithian, who's dream as Miranda had been to be an Arthurian historian, no longer needed a history degree as she was, in essence, history itself, though she did continue to work in that field, wanting to pass on the history of both Nemeth and Camelot. Arthur and Gwen had sworn that their kingdom would not become a tourist attraction, even though it was already that with millions of people around the world wanting to visit it. They had point blank refused to allow tourists inside the gates while still fighting Morgause, though with the war over Mithian convinced them of the benefits. They spoke in detail when Mithian first presented her plan to them and trusting her as they did they essentially decided to allow her to do as she wished; they knew she would never destroy the integrity of Camelot nor would never turn it into a tourist trap. As they expected, Mithian proved to be smart in her plans, taking full advantage of the demand to visit Camelot to make things the way she wanted. Camelot's gates were not thrown wide open, allowing unimpeded access. Only a few hundred people a day were allowed inside and tours had to be arranged through a select few tour companies who met Mithian's criteria and agreed to her conditions. No cheap souvenirs were made, nor did anyone attempt to open such a store, though Camelot's once bustling marketplace, which in the past had seen a few hundred visitors a day as people came from outlying villages to trade, came to life once more. Guided tours were given of the castle so that people may see the iconic Round Table and the throne room, though there were many parts of the castle that were off limits, and castle guards, who retained their positions for security with so many visitors, were very adept at stopping anyone from wandering. The Knights spent their time training and holding tournaments as they once had. The tourists being allowed to watch both if either a training session or tournament was taking place during their visit; these were not shows that were put on daily for the tourists, who were not guaranteed to see one. Even if it was no longer possible to make a living as a Knight, many still wanted to become them, from children who thought knights were cool, to adults who were serious about the craft. It was one aspect of their past lives that they continued with. They would no longer train men from childhood, but if any adults truly wished to move to Camelot and become a knight they were welcome to take the trials, those that succeeded being Knighted by King Arthur. In this twenty-first century knighthood was also no longer only the realm of men, several women having successfully passed the trials.

Merlin continued to build the bridge between magic and non-magic users, though he also spent a great deal of time working alongside his wife. He had spent two thousand years without her and would not do so again. As time passed they noticed that he began to age, confirming that his time as the Immortal Mage had come to an end and he would live out this life with his friends and family and be able to pass on with them. Less than a year after Morgause's defeat, he and Mithian were also gifted with the child they had always wanted. They learned then that their inability to have a child had not been due to either of them, but rather due to The Triple Goddess, who had stopped the possibility of a child in an attempt to save Merlin from more hurt; he had to watch his wife and family die, she did not want him to have to bury his children or grandchildren as well as he lived on.

As for Arthur and Gwen they still ruled Camelot as King and Queen. Due to the previous non-existence of Camelot, and the power those within it held, the British government had not attempted to bring Camelot under their jurisdiction. They declared it sovereign territory, fully under Arthur and Guinevere's control, and not subject to the laws of modern Britain. Ruling Camelot took up a great deal of their time, and what time they spent outside of Camelot was usually with their parents and families as Gina and Aric. However, on more than one occasion they did find themselves considered as extended members of the modern royal family. While modern Britain did not try and interfere with Camelot, just as they did not try and interfere with modern Britain, the two royals found themselves invited to many functions held by Queen Elizabeth. The first state dinner they went to had surprised them for not only had they been seated near The Queen, but had been tasked with entertaining the foreign dignitaries just as members of The Queen's family was. Shortly thereafter they began working in co-operation with Queen Elizabeth, attending more events and even hosting their own, giving them a semblance of still being true monarchs. They were well aware, of course, that Queen Elizabeth did not do this for them. While they were sure she was fond of them, as they were of her, Queen Elizabeth had always put her country first, and given their standing around the world and the interest in them it was beneficial to Britain for them to not sequester themselves in Camelot and never be seen, but to actively participate in more than just their own affairs. Given they themselves had dedicated their lives to Britain, neither minded being used so, so long as it continued to benefit Britain. They also remained good friends with William and Kate, and even Harry, though he got along famously with Lancelot. This was, of course, helped along by the fact that their children were as close as ever, particularly George and Eleanor, who demanded to see each other multiple times a week. The youngsters close friendship also happened to garner a great deal of attention from the tabloids, many of which had joked about a royal betrothal much to the parents' annoyance. This was even more prominent, and more annoying, given Camelot's status as sovereign territory. Historically royal marriages were made to forge alliances between kingdoms, and with Camelot being essentially its own kingdom inside Britain, a marriage between Eleanor, the daughter of the current King and sister of the future King, for William would one day be King of Camelot upon Arthur's death, though he would never hold his father's title of King of Britain, and George as the future King of England, would unite the two kingdoms.

As the one-year anniversary of Morgause's final defeat approached, the people of Camelot petitioned The King and Queen to hold a coronation for them in this time. It was not the first time that the people had petitioned them for this, there had been several such attempts throughout the last year, each one of which was turned down. The people of Camelot wanted to officially crown their monarchs in this time instead of merely having it carry over from two thousand years ago. Such ceremony was important to them, and even to Arthur and Gwen, though the two deemed this particular ceremony inappropriate in this day and age. However, the people were determined and they grew smart about it. Instead of asking for another coronation this time, they petitioned to have a ceremony where The King and Queen would renew their vows to serve Camelot and Britain. Although they had sworn to do so from the time they had re-awakened, they had not done so officially or publically and this request was not one either could refuse unless they did not wish to renew their vows, which was not at all the case. The people were jubilant at their monarchs' acceptance and began preparing Camelot for the ceremony; scrubbing and polishing every inch until it shined. Both Mithian and Queen Elizabeth both helped to convince them that this was the right course of action. The Queen herself had renewed her own vows to serve her country more than once, though admittedly not in such an overt display, and given the dedication the two had shown to the world over the last year she did not deem it inappropriate in the least; she was also openly amused that the people of Camelot had essentially manipulated their King and Queen to get what they wanted. She also noted that it worked as a manipulation against any who would say it was not Arthur and Gwen's place to hold such a ceremony for those people would then be saying that those in positions of power, for even the naysayers could not deny that Arthur and Gwen were in positions of power, could not vow to dedicate their lives to the betterment of Britain. Mithian, on the other hand, showed them both the educational and public relations opportunity this presented. With Queen Elizabeth behind them, and agreeing to attend, other members of the royal family and modern British dignitaries would follow her lead and further cement both Arthur and Gwen's, and Camelot's, position in the modern world. It would also allow people to see some of the pageantry the monarchy was known for. While they were used to the pageantry of the modern monarchy, there was both something different and special about historical pageantry, conducted at historical locations, by historical figures. It was to this end that Arthur and Gwen even found themselves agreeing to allow a TV crew inside Camelot to broadcast the ceremony, though they drew the line at allowing anyone else inside, wanting to ensure there was space for both the people of Camelot, and their invited guests.

 **oo00oo00oo**

The day before the ceremony was to take place, another event occurred, one which they had been waiting a year for: Morgana had been found. During all this time no one had heard even a whisper of her. Merlin had assured them that The Lady had taken an interest in her wellbeing and even The Disir were working on behalf of The Triple Goddess to try and bring back the last High Priestess of her order. However, regardless of the assurance that Morgana was safe, no one had seen or heard from her, and not even Merlin knew where she was. At least, he didn't know until today when Aithusa journeyed to Camelot and informed The Dragonlord that Morgana was on the Isle of the Blessed. The Great Dragon was unclear as to whether she had requested to see them or not, but regardless Merlin hastened to find Arthur and Gwen, taking the three of them to the Lake of Avalon with a simple flash of gold in his eyes. They arrived to find Morgana in discussion with The Lady who stopped upon seeing them, causing Morgana to turn.

"Arthur…Gwen…" She murmured with wide eyes; clearly she had not asked to see them. "Merlin…"

"Morgana…" The two royals breathed, tears in both their eyes. Gwen was the first to break away and rush over; enveloping the other woman in a hug that she did not reciprocate.

"We have missed you so much." The Queen muttered, not caring that her affection was not returned; knowing now that Morgana's actions in the past had not been her own and that she actually did know this woman, she knew that Morgana was wracked with guilt. It wasn't long before they were joined by Arthur who wrapped his arms around both his wife and sister, though pulling the raven-haired beauty fully into his embrace when Gwen backed away to give them a moment.

"Morgana, what happened-" He began.

"Please, Arthur, I can't forgive myself."

"I don't care." He continued, pulling back enough to look her in the eyes. "You are my sister, Morgana, and if Morgause did not lie then you are my sister by blood as well. I loved you even when I thought you had betrayed us, and that has not changed. I am so sorry."

"What could you possibly have to apologize for?"

"I believed the worst of you."

"We both did." Gwen added, having not gone far at all.

"No. We _all_ did." Merlin corrected. He had allowed them their moment, but would by no means be relegated to the background.

"Even before I knew we shared a father I called you my sister, and yet I so easily accepted that you betrayed us. If I had not believed it, if I had refused to accept such illogical reasoning for your betrayal, that I knew you would never have found logical, if I had fought harder to bring you back-"

"We both have things we regret." Morgana interrupted. "Though I still do not think you have anything to feel guilty over."

"Well, we shall agree to disagree on that."

"Will you come home, Morgana?" Gwen asked, pleading with her friend. "We all miss you."

"Everyone believes me dead, and Camelot is no longer my home."

"Only the modern world believes you dead." She argued. "The people of Camelot are well aware that you live and have forgiven you; they know all too well how when enchanted a person's actions are not their own. You were forgiven the moment they learned Morgause had taken control of you."

"And Camelot will always be your home. Regardless of what you say." Arthur added.

"Still…"

"I can alter things. Let you start over." Merlin offered, earning a shocked look from those gathered.

"You would use your magic like that? For me?" Morgana was both touched and even more wracked with guilt at the thought.

"There are only a handful of people I would use my magic like that for. My wife, and soon to be daughter." He smiled as he always did at the thought of finally having a child of his own. "For Arthur, Gwen…and you."

"I will not ask that of you, Merlin. No matter how tempting." She replied after a moment.

"But if this is the only thing that stands in your way-"

"But it isn't! I have spent so long as someone I am not, that I no longer know who I am. No matter how much guilt I feel, even I can recognize that I was not myself when I waged war on you. But regardless I did wage war, I took many lives and I cannot forgive myself for it."

"You were controlled by Morgause-" Arthur tried to argue.

"I know." Morgana had heard these arguments before from both The Lady of the Lake, and The Disir. "But that guilt is still there and until I can gain control of it, until I find who I am again, I cannot return." Both Arthur and Merlin opened their mouths to argue, but Gwen cut them off.

"Will you at least visit?" She implored. "Or allow us to visit you here? Although we would love nothing more than to have you returned to us, instilled by our side as our sister once more…we cannot imagine what you have gone through. You take all the time you need, Morgana, and we will not pressure you so long as you promise us to be safe, and to not cut us out of your life completely." Although they both looked like they wanted to argue further, Arthur and Merlin recognized the wisdom in Gwen's words. Morgana was wounded, though this wound could not be healed with the wave of a hand. She needed time and space and so long as they knew she was safe and that they would see her at least occasionally they would live with her absence for now. Morgana stared into Gwen's eyes for a few moments as if looking to determine whether or not she was speaking the truth that she wanted her in her life. When she saw that The Queen was entirely serious she nodded.

"Alright. I agree to your terms." She said, with only a hint of amusement.

"Where will you go? What will you do?" While Arthur could live with her absence, he wanted more than just a simple promise to be safe.

"I think I will be here for much of my time. Or with The Disir. Apparently The Triple Goddess is determined to not lose the last High Priestess of her order and so she has commanded The Disir to help me. I have lived so long in darkness that I don't know what light magic is any longer. I will spend my time immersing myself in the magic of this earth, the magic The Triple Goddess governs over, so that the final taints of Morgause's dark magic are washed away. Hopefully it will also bring me peace."

"And I will help." Merlin added, this time his voice brooked no argument. "You will need a friend, Morgana, and though there are others who can fill that spot I am the only magical one who can. It is also my duty as Emrys to ensure the wellbeing of magic itself, along with all those that practice it." Morgana hesitated for a moment before offering him a small smile.

"I would like that." Knowing that with The Lady, The Disir, and Merlin watching over her that Morgana would never truly be alone, Arthur and Gwen felt much better about leaving her. It had been but a brief meeting, but even Arthur, who could be quite clueless at times, saw that Morgana was not ready for more at this time.

 **oo00oo00oo**

The following day dawned bright and early as George and Sefa roused their master and mistress to prepare them for the day to come. Given that every citizen of Camelot, without exception, wished to attend, the ceremony would be held in the castle courtyard just as their last coronation had been, with the visiting officials given places of honour upon the balcony with a perfect view of the proceedings. As a not so subtle reminder to those who had attended their coronation first coronation, both were dressed in the same clothes, Arthur with his red and gold doublet, the red cape with the golden dragon sigil stitched on the shoulder, and Gwen in her purple gown with lace sleeves and flowing train, both also wearing their golden crowns. Aside from their children, whom they had helped wrestle into their best clothes, the two had seen no one save their man and maidservant though they did watch as people began arriving. Everyone was dressed in their best, including the visiting royals and dignitaries who, as this was essentially a state function, wore either military dress uniforms, morning suits, or elaborate dresses; the female royals also wearing glittering tiaras. When the time came for the ceremony to begin Sefa and George led them down the stairs and out a back door so they may walk up the aisle that had been left for them. Trumpets sounded as they began to make their way to the landing on the castle steps. They smiled and nodded as they passed their people, their smiles brightening just a bit as they spotted their friends, family and children. Only one person awaited them on the landing: Geoffrey of Monmouth, the Court Genealogist and Keeper of the Royal Library, who was a good friend of Gaius', and had been to Uther, had been chosen to perform the ceremony. As one of King Uther's friends, Arthur had known Geoffrey longer than he could remember and the man had been an unofficial uncle to the then Prince, much as Gaius had. Finally reaching the landing, the two knelt on the cushions that had been placed there for them as Geoffrey came to stand before them.

"Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the peoples of Camelot according to their respective laws and customs?" He asked of Arthur.

"I solemnly swear so to do."

"Will you, to your power, cause law and justice in mercy to be executed in all your judgements?"

"I will." Arthur's reply was just as serious as it had been the first time he spoke those words.

"Then by the sacred law vested in me, on behalf of the people of Camelot, I humbly accept the renewal of your vows of service, King Arthur!" Arthur stood and turned to face the crowd, a few people up on the balcony began to clap though it quickly died down when no one else joined in. When silence reigned once more, Arthur looked down on his wife. Regardless of the current date, the laws of Camelot had not changed in two thousand years, and so it was Arthur's duty to renew Guinevere's vows. The church, or elected official, only had power to crown, or in this case renew the vows, of the rightful monarch of Camelot; as Guinevere was the King's Consort he must crown, or renew the vows, of his Queen. Even so, there would be little difference in their vows.

"Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the peoples of Camelot according to their respective laws and customs?"

"I solemnly swear so to do."

"Will you, to your power, cause law and justice in mercy to be executed in all your judgements, and ensure The King does not stray from such when his impatience, temper, or ego get in the way?" A soft laugh went through the crowd, none who knew their King surprised that he would add such a vow or attempt a joke at such a time.

"I will." Gwen replied, attempting to hide both a smile and frown, though her eyes told of both her amusement and the chastisement she wished to give Arthur.

"Then by the sacred laws vested in me, I accept and welcome the renewal of your vows of service, Queen Guinevere!" Remembering his own actions during their first coronation, Arthur offered his hands to Gwen and helped her to stand before leaning in for a kiss. When the two pulled apart and turned to face the crowd, a great cheer erupted.

"Long live The King! Long live The Queen!" The two allowed the cheers to continue for a bit before Arthur raised his hand for silence.

"Let every man, woman and child bear witness, that from this day, all Britons will be united in one common cause!" He allowed those words to sink in for a moment, many remembering them from so long ago. "Those were the words that I spoke upon my coronation as High King of Britain two thousand years ago. I have dedicated my life, both my lives, to peace in Britain, and with The High King no longer needed to bring peace to the land, I happily renounce that title."

"However, we both believe, with all our hearts, that those words are still relevant today." Gwen continued. "We have proudly renewed our vows to Camelot, and swear to continue to work towards peace both here, and throughout Britain. Alongside Queen Elizabeth and her descendants, as well as the elected British government, we know that another Golden Age is possible, so long as all Britons _are united as one_!" The sound was deafening as the crowd roared their approval. Once more, Arthur reached for the sword at his side and pulled forth Excalibur, raising it on high.

"For the love of Camelot! And for the love of Britain!" He cried. Gwen did not hesitate to reach up and join her hand with Arthur's, just as The Knights of The Round Table did not hesitate to follow their King's example, unsheathing their own swords and holding them up as the crowd took up the cry.

"For the love of Camelot! And for the love of Britain!"

* * *

 **A/N - I totally meant to post this last week, but got distracted. Anyways, that's the end, there's no more! Initially I was going to have them pretty much settle into modern life and that was going to be that, but I realized that I didn't want their past selves to Camelot to be forgotten so came up with this instead.** **I hope it wasn't terribly disappointing.**


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